Unwanted Trip
by Solara Myles
Summary: When the Yondaime said he'd like to try an experiment Naruto Sasuke and Sakura think nothing other than yes please. Only . . . this wasn't the result they had in mind. Poor Kakashi doesn't understand why his new team of genin suddenly have a large dislike of his favourite past Hokage, and Itachi isn't having fun figuring out what's wrong with his dear baby brother. TimeTravel Team7
1. Chapter 1

**Beta-ed by Jenny-Cat-Miaow.**

**A new time travel fic that I work on every now and then.**

**Subtle things in the chapter are subject to change upon my own later review. (I might change sentence construction. Nothing major.) **

**I do not own Naruto**

Uchiha Itachi was generally a Shinobi who was very, _very_, good at keeping his emotional responses off of his features. In fact, most times, even his own family couldn't tell what was going on in his mind. This wasn't something the young ninja was particularly proud of, it was merely something that was.

He was also a ninja that prided himself in his ability to keep his emotions in check in any sort of situation that might arise, no matter what it might be connected to.

However, the night he was wrenched from his light sleep by the sound of a young agonising scream, no one really blamed him for funning from his room in an near blind panic and straight into his younger brother's, where the scream had come from.

At the sight that greeted him upon arrival to his precious younger brother's room, was a sight that would haunt him to his dying day.

Falling to his knees, eyes wide with shock and disbelief, the twelve year old ninja found himself at a loss for what to do next and that was a very foreign feeling for him, because no one had ever told him what to do when eyes were doing that.

Sasuke turned wide fear filled eyes towards his older brother as blood ran down his face like tears. He didn't say a word as the usually black depths zapped between red and onyx, as though they were trying to reach the state of the Sharingan but weren't quite able.

Itachi's own eyes were blazing a deep blood red, recording every moment of his younger brother's terror in startling detail, a sight he never wished to see ever again but knew that now it would haunt his sleep till he died. That was a certainty.

"Aniki, why . . ." Sasuke managed to gasp out but he couldn't finish the sentence, a sentence that was hardly referring to his eyes and more to the fact that Itachi was there at all.

It was only then that Mikoto and Fugaku, having been so much slower than the twelve year old genius, arrived in the room. Mikoto saw Sasuke and screamed while the tiny five year old looked more than a little shell shocked. Fugaku, true to his ninja reflexes, immediately began looking for the threat.

"Sasuke!" A sharp bark of command better suited for the Konoha Police and not a stunned five year old boy, "What happened?"

"I . . ." Sasuke knew that the next words that come out of his mouth were so very crucial and that he couldn't screw this up because clearly, there was something very wrong going on here. "I had a very bad dream. Everyone had died." A tiny traumatised statement of pure agony, enough to convince those in the room of its plausibility. Sharingan, after all, were known for reacting to extreme emotional responses.

Sasuke's eyes had finally decided to settle on large deep black, eyes that usually looked at Itachi with such adoration. Now . . . they looked strangely weary, exhausted.

Mikoto snapped out of her daze, Itachi still kneeling on the floor and staring in abstract horror at the blood stained face of the little brother he held so dear. The mother ran to her child before scooping him up into a tight hug.

Itachi was the only one that noticed the flinch.

Sasuke was taken from the room, Mikoto muttering about cleaning up the blood while Fugaku muttered about damage done to the boy's eyes. Itachi grit his teeth at the muttered statement. _Ah, yes, those precious Sharingan eyes. Wouldn't want to lose those, never mind the child. _

He very nearly said the sarcastic remark out loud but by some grace of Kami managed to bite his tongue.

Fugaku sent a disapproving glare at his oldest son, who was still wide eyed and kneeing on the floor. The boy hadn't reacted as he should've, completely freezing up. They were going to have to talk about that, fix it.

A smaller part of him, one that was mostly ignored, rejoiced at the fact that Itachi had shown emotion at all.

All the while, Sasuke remained silent, thinking to himself, "_What the hell is going on?_"

.0.0.0.

Itachi threw another kunai, not even taking note of its trajectory and its landing as it _didn't_ hit the bull's-eye.

"You're uncharacteristically off your game today, Itachi-kun."

"Sasuke-kun woke me up this morning, early." Itachi replied, tilting his head slightly in acknowledgement as Shisui approached his little clearing. It was a clearing that was only slightly away from the Uchiha compound but Itachi had felt he needed the break.

"And? Did he ask you to train him again?" Shisui was confused but he hid his confusion well and Itachi silently applauded him.

"He screamed, as though someone was trying to gauge out his eyes. I ran to his room to see his face covered in blood, eyes trying and failing to reach Sharingan activation." Itachi elaborated in his usual dead monotone. "He claims to have had a nightmare."

"If a nightmare was all it took to activate our Kekkei Genkai, then we would have activated our eyes a long time ago Itachi-kun." Shisui wasn't lecturing him, wasn't belittling him, only agreeing with what he knew Itachi to be thinking already.

"Exactly." Itachi replied. "There's more to this, something that I'm missing but Sasuke-kun had been with Okaa-san and Otou-san since it happened." Itachi's eyes flared and bled into red. "There was something there, something I can't put my finger on."

"Something as in another presence?" Shisui asked, tilting his head slightly, wondering if it was emotion that guided Itachi's use of the Sharingan or if it was for analytical purposes.

"No, it was something with the boy himself. Something is _off_." Itachi frowned, Sharingan deactivating.

"Perhaps if you explain it to me, you'll gain a better understanding yourself." Shisui suggested.

"No. That's just it. It isn't something I can put any name to. It's just something I _feel_."

Shisui almost jerked in surprise. Itachi was never one to base anything on feeling. He was always so cold and analytical. So this had to mean something. The problem was, what exactly did it mean?

"Well then, I guess we should head over to the archives, try and find any similar incidents documented." Shisui turned to do just that, expecting the younger boy to follow him but Itachi's clipped and almost angry reply stopped him.

"I've already been and there's nothing. Not a single occurrence of nightmare induced Sharingan false activation. Nothing even close. " Itachi was angry at the lack of information, the lack of anything to compare whatever it was that was happening to young Sasuke with.

Shisui frowned before pulling out his own kunai and throwing it to land directly next to Itachi's.

.0.0.0.

When Haruno Sakura screamed in her own bedroom across the village, it wasn't half as excruciatingly sounding so her tearfully mumbled excuse that it was a nightmare was actually believed without suspicion.

A warm cup of honey-ed milk was placed in her hands while larger, warmer and slightly rougher hands brushed soft pastel pink locks from her face so that a soft loving kiss filled with a paternal warmth could be brushed against her forehead.

Her door was left open the tiniest crack so that light spilled in and she was left to return to the world of blissful sleep.

Inwardly, she found herself completely baffled and unable to fully comprehend what had just happened. "_What the hell is going on?_" a question that she wasn't alone in thinking to herself as she absently sipped her drink.

.0.0.0.

And yet in another direction, also clear across the village, Uzumaki Naruto was wrenched from his sleep with a gasp of pain. He did not cry out as wave upon wave of searing throbs pulsed through his little body, most of the pain concentrated in the area around his seal. There wasn't a soul around to hear his pained whimpers. There wasn't anyone to rush into his dark room with concerned panic.

There wasn't a single person to brush away his tears and comfort him back to sleep.

"_What the hell is going on?_" was all that the young blond could comprehend through the pain, but there was no one around to answer. There wasn't even anyone around to realise there was a problem at all.

**Chapter 1**

Not much had happened in Sasuke's life after his nightmare that wasn't. There had been no further incident and for all intents and purposes the little five year old Uchiha had gone back to acting exactly as he used to. No Sharingan, no mental trauma and no further nightmares.

Itachi stopped watching him so intently, stopped fearing his precious little brother was about to break. He even relaxed some and returned to his own routine, the incident not really forgotten, just shelved for the-things-to-do-while-I-have-nothing-else-to-do.

Fugaku and Mikoto didn't speak about it, didn't even really acknowledge that it had happened at all. They were far to content to accept it for the nightmare Sasuke said it was.

They even began talking about sending Sasuke to the Academy, a few thinly implied remarks that perhaps Sasuke's Sharingan would awaken before Itachi's but the idea was not a serious one and never really brought up more than in passing.

As for Sasuke himself, he pretended that he was the five year old Uchiha everyone thought he was, the act itself surprisingly easy to fall into despite the fact that every time his eyes fell upon his family members he wanted to start screaming and screaming and just not stop.

.0.0.0.

Sakura's parents asked her the next morning if she had slept ohkay and even asked her the next morning, but then after that the question was never bought up again. She didn't say anything about her true problem, merely expressing an interest in joining the ninja Academy, where she would be attending kunoichi classes, where she would undoubtedly be teased about her larger than normal forehead and where she would make her very first and bestest friend in Yamanaka Ino.

But all that was not mention. Instead her parents hummed at the idea of her desire for wanting to be a ninja, smiling enduringly as she spoke in overly excited and semi loud tones about the amazing aspects that were sure to come from being a ninja, none of which were remotely true as she had experience in the matter.

She knew that at the current moment her parents were allowing her to indulge in a childish fantasy that they hoped she grew out of but by the second month of persistent pleading, they finally let up and agreed to send her to kunoichi classes where she would learn about flowers and how to blend into societies she had not been born into, a subtle art of deception that Sakura had been putting into practise since the night of her 'bad dream', classes which were not a part of the actual Academy. She'd only start there a little later.

.0.0.0.

Uzumaki Naruto started in hell and slowly slid downhill from there.

He was utterly alone, not even able to contact the fox as his seal was now wound so tight that hardly any chakra leaked through at all and it reminded him that the seal had only been cracked on that Wave mission.

Silently he commended the Yondaime on his ability to think that far ahead, meaning that he wouldn't fall into a Kyuubi chakra rage filled state while throwing a tantrum when he was a mere child and that the chakra would only aid him in such a fashion when his live was in danger enough to warrant cracking the seal in the first place.

Still, that left him alone, weak and vulnerable.

Alone. With no one to start talking about sending him to the Academy because his very first precious person had been Iruka-sensei.

How had he handled this terrible, crushing loneliness the first time?

Oh right, he'd hardly known what it meant to have a precious person in the first place. He'd only been trying to gain one.

Finally, _finally_, did he understand what it meant having something so precious and lose it, as opposed to never having known what it was like to have that something precious in the first place.

Finally he understood Sasuke's pain.

Soon, very soon, he knew that he was going to do something he probably shouldn't but he knew that he'd be too far gone in this perdition of utter solitude to even care.

.0.0.0.

It was four months before Naruto's sixth birthday that the blond boy finally snapped. He didn't go on a rampage, he didn't attack any of the adults that looked at him with _those_ eyes. He didn't crawl into a ball and cry like he had been doing since that night he'd awoken in pain.

No . . . he snuck into the ANBU headquarters, looking for someone very specific.

He'd tried the usual places he thought the ninja to be but hadn't seen him so that had lead him to look within the ANBU ranks. He'd watched the shadows that weren't, looking for the one person that he needed, but had had no such luck.

So he'd waited and watched directly outside the ANBU headquarters, waiting for the one person he was looking for. He was surprised to note a lot of people he had known entering the building wearing the masks of anonymity but he approached none of them.

Not until he spotted the tired gait of a familiar ANBU returning from a mission.

He left his spot of hiding, making his way into the building of Konoha's best, not at all surprised when none of them spotted him. They were arrogant on their home turf and far too tired to be vigilant within a building that held the best that Konoha had.

"Inu-san." Naruto greeted softly, spotting the ANBU he wanted limping slightly out of the report office.

He didn't sneak right up to the teen, knowing that was foolishly like asking to die. Instead he stood at a slight distance, no longer trying to mask his presence. He stayed where he was when the masked face turned to him, entire body tensing.

"Uzumaki." Came the stiff, weary reply. "You should not be here."

"I noticed you hadn't been on my shift for a while." Naruto continued and he had noticed, surprised by the presence of the ANBU in the first place. He'd never even dreamed that the Sandaime would set the ANBU to babysitting him as he grew. He wondered why none of them had ever stopped him from doing half the pranks he had. But then perhaps they had been ordered not to let him know they were there in the first place.

"You know about the ANBU?" Naruto nearly scoffed at the disbelief in the teen's voice.

"Hai. And you haven't been there for a while. I wanted to see if you were alright." Naruto replied despite the desire to roll his eyes.

"I do not control the missions I get, Uzumaki." Inu had started walking, apparently deeming Naruto harmless, or perhaps really needing to get somewhere else. Did he start his tardiness now, while in ANBU?

"I know. Doesn't stop me from coming to see you now does it?" Naruto replied with a grin. "I was . . ." He didn't say lonely because that would be like admitting he was losing himself to this desolate existence he'd been thrust into once again and that was not the way he was.

He'd survived this once, he'd do so again.

"Even if you shouldn't be here in the first place." A statement but not a rebuke. "What is it that you want anyway?"

"Sign my permission form to enter the Academy?" Naruto answered immediately, grinning at the ANBU's perceptiveness.

"Hn." Inu had stopped now, as though contemplating something. Perhaps he was wondering why Naruto was asking him at all. Perhaps he was wondering how Naruto knew to talk to him or why the boy was doing so in the first place.

By now other ANBU were giving them odd looks, seen only when they slowed down slightly as they walked past the five year old and the nineteen year old. "Hokage-sama has already signed the forms. You were to be informed later this month when Hokage-sama came to give you your allowance." Inu eventually stated.

"Oh." Naruto pouted, realising that now he didn't have a reason to talk to Inu any longer and it was back to his lonely, empty apartment where he had nothing to do but wait for that monthly visit from the old man who never answered his questions.

Also he wasn't sure he even wanted to see the old man at the moment. This whole thing was still rather new to him and facing a man who's death he'd already grieved and accepted was not something he felt ready to do just yet.

"Still having nightmares?" Inu suddenly asked, almost sounding as though he regretted doing so in the first place.

Naruto blinked at the teen in surprise and the ANBU shifted uncomfortably. "You saw that?" Naruto whispered, not actually aware that he had said anything at all until Inu nodded.

"It wasn't a nightmare." Naruto muttered looking away. His shoulder was instantly grabbed as Inu knelt closer to him, moving closer to his physical level.

"What was it?" A demand of a captain, no longer a teen amused and indulging a young outcast boy.

Naruto shook his head and made to pull away. "Nothing. It hasn't happened again."

Inu was utterly silent as he studied the blond in front of him. Naruto could almost hear him thinking and that was an odd feeling. He didn't dare say a word, least Inu ask him about it again. Inu was a very hard person to lie to.

Naruto yelled in surprise when he was lifted from the floor and tucked under Inu's arm. The young ANBU made his way towards the ANBU showers. The blond was deposited near the door with a barked, "Stay here." Before Inu went into the room and probably had the quickest shower of his life.

When he came out again his hair was dripping and his armour was gone, replaced by the ANBU equivalent of casual clothes.

Naruto gaped up in surprise when he saw that Inu's ANBU mask was gone as well.

Kakashi was frowning at him, looking more than a little thoughtful. He picked Naruto up once again, and Naruto heard him mutter "I'm so going to get into trouble for this."

Kakashi ignored the outright stares that were receiving from the other ANBU now. One was even brave enough to splutter out an almost fearful, "Oh Hatake, now you've done it."

"Are you supposed to be ignoring me?" Naruto asked very quietly.

"I'm not supposed to have any contact with you, yes." Kakashi replied dismissively. If the teen was surprised that Naruto didn't reply he didn't show it. Naruto merely nodded, knowing that it was probably due to Kakashi's connections to his father and his own dangerous reputation that made the Sandaime keep him away from Naruto.

Kakashi opened a door, revealing a small, neat room that barely held anything more than a bed. There were ninja tools here and there and also the equipment needed to care for those tools. There was a chest of drawers that Naruto figured held Kakashi's clothes but otherwise there was nothing personal in the room to say that this room belonged to Kakashi at all. Not even an Icha Icha book.

Naruto was tossed onto the bed while Kakashi began to pull off his shoes.

"Now what?" Naruto asked, genuinely confused as to what Kakashi was doing?

"We sleep. I'm tired. You're tired. And I sure as hell don't have the energy to make sure you get back home." Kakashi replied simply yanking off Naruto's shoes when it appeared that Naruto was too shocked to do it himself.

"B-but I'm not tired." Naruto tried to protest, this whole idea rather foreign to him, bringing back memories of running from the very man simply because he'd stated he was starting to like Naruto.

Kakashi snorted. "Please. Have you looked in a mirror lately?" he pulled out a kunai, holding it in front of Naruto but not letting him take the sharp weapon.

Looking into the reflective surface Naruto saw the distorted image of his own face staring back at him in exhausted curiosity. He hadn't even realised that his eyes had such dark rings around them. He hadn't even realised he wasn't getting the sleep he needed.

The kunai was replaced and Kakashi lifted him before climbing onto the bed himself, not bothering with the blanket.

Naruto was too stunned to do much more than allow Kakashi to pull him against his chest with a muffled, "Go to sleep." By Kakashi's even light breaths and low chakra, Naruto figured that Kakashi had done just that himself.

He jerked slightly in surprise when chakra leaked in tiny amounts from Kakashi and wrapped around him, giving him the sense that he was safe, protected. Kakashi was tired. He'd just returned from a mission and still he found the strength to do this for Naruto whom he had probably guessed had come here because he was lonely and had assumed he was having trouble sleeping because of nightmares.

This was Kakashi's way of trying to fix it, to make Naruto feel better. And he would never comprehend just how much it meant to the blond who closed his eyes and matched his breathing to Kakashi's.

And with that Naruto slept, having the best night's sleep probably in his entire life.

.0.0.0.

Naruto was woken from his sleep when an arm tightened around his middle. He didn't open his own eyes nor indicate in any way that he was actually awake so he heard the hushed conversation that took place around him.

"Release the boy, Hatake." A gloved hand was already taking hold of Naruto's arm that he kept limp, ignoring the instinct to fight it off.

"He needs sleep." Kakashi's breath whooshed over his hair, moving the blond strands. "So if you wake him, our next sparing session is going to suck very much so . . . for you."

That gloved hand hesitated slightly. "Hokage-sama wishes to see you. I apologise for disturbing your sleep." The person really did sound remorseful.

"Yeah, yeah Tenzou, now make your chakra light and friendly, or else I'm not letting go. You better hurry, he might wake up. I know that being an ANBU and all makes that request seem rather odd and possibly impossible but you are not handling him with _that _leaking through."

Kakashi could really be a dick when he wanted to but Naruto felt the natural waves of cold aloofness within Tenzou's chakra, something all ANBU had and had to consciously control when around other people. If an ANBU was lucky enough to survive long enough to retire from ANBU, it took them awhile to flush the feeling out of their chakra entirely.

He sensed it as Tenzou struggled to erase it, struggled to bring his chakra into submission enough to satisfy Kakashi into releasing Naruto into his care.

"He whimpers in his sleep you now." Kakashi stated very quietly, more so than what he had been speaking thus far. "I can't believe I'm not allowed to be anywhere near him."

"Just until he's a genin, Kakashi." Tenzou seemed to be trying to comfort Kakashi, like this was a sore topic for the older ANBU teen.

"I know." Kakashi sighed. "You know he came here, to me. Said he wanted to see if I was alright. I don't really know what to make of it." Kakashi carefully pulled his arm away and Naruto immediately felt the loss of its warmth. Apparently Tenzou had reached the level that satisfied Kakashi into handing over the blond.

Without realising it, Naruto had clutched Kakashi's shirt in his sleep. He was still grasping the black fabric, warm fingers gently prying his tiny ones away from Kakashi's shirt.

"Some people are saying that you're breaking the rules, Kakashi." Tenzou warned. "If he comes here again, I don't think the Sandaime will brush it off. As it is I heard he's furious. Apparently, the squad that was supposed to be watching him weren't watching him as closely as they were supposed to be. So there's no one to really say whether he stumbled into the headquarters on his own, or if you bought him here. Sadaime's mostly angry because he doesn't actually know whether he has to punish you or not because he knows you'll deny it if he asks you if you bought Naruto here. He was yelling something about ANBU not being a place for a child. A little hypocritical considering he let you join ANBU at fourteen, and me at just about the same age."

Naruto heard Kakashi's sigh, felt the tiny jump in the teen's chakra but it didn't last long enough for the blond to identify which emotion it was. "I don't care what others think. Just make sure he gets home ohkay. And don't wake him up. He still looks terrible. No five year old should look like that."

Naruto remained limp and unresponsive as Tenzou did his very best to lift him from Kakashi's side without waking him, unaware that Naruto had been awake from the start.

Cool armour met his bare arms and Naruto almost flinched. He wondered what his actions were going to do to Kakashi, if he was going to get into trouble because of it. Guilt was heavy on his heart at that thought and he wondered if it would be more harmful to visit the teen again or to simply stay away.

.0.0.0.

When the Hokage came that month to give Naruto his allowance, the blond boy was unusually quiet. He merely accepted the money with a mumbled thank-you. He didn't ask anything of the Sandaime, didn't even look at the aged Hokage.

"Is everything alright, Naruto?" Sarutobi asked, wondering if someone had gotten to the boy without his knowing about it.

"Yeah, just haven't really woken up yet." Naruto replied, lying through his teeth in the hopes that the Hokage would leave him be. He even added a large grin.

He didn't know if the Hokage believed his words or if he was simply letting the matter drop for now. Instead he smiled his own warm smile before informing Naruto that he was going to start at the Academy next semester.

Naruto showed his excitement, not all of it faked and it seemed to pacify the Hokage because he left after that with a smile on his features.

Naruto was the first of Team 7 to enter the Academy. Always had been. He'd been through two homeroom teachers before finally ending up with Iruka sensei. He supposed it was time to start those pranks again. People were going to start to wonder about him if he didn't let them know that he was still alive, but first there was something he had to do.

.0.0.0.

Kakashi limped into the mess hall, a plate of food in one hand as he made his way over to an empty table.

He almost winced when he thought of the meeting that had followed Naruto's little visit. The Sandaime, to sum it all up, had denied him medical treatment via chakra methods. He was allowed pain medication and disinfectant. Something about his wounds clearly not being all that serious if he was able to play with five year olds.

The old man wasn't unreasonable. He hadn't sent Kakashi on a mission since, leaving the nineteen year old at the base and really bored and uncomfortable due to the kunai that had landed in his thigh on that last mission.

He understood why the Hokage was angry but he still felt it was unfair, considering he hadn't broken any of the rules. How was he to know that the little blond would find his way into the ANBU base and approach him like he was an old friend or something? He hadn't encouraged it in any way as some seemed to think.

"Senpai." Tenzou greeted as he sat down across from Kakashi, his own food tray in his hand and perhaps the only one that believed Kakashi when he said Naruto had wondered in here on his own.

Kakashi looked up from the food he'd really only been picking at, looking towards the other unmasked ANBU but he didn't say a word. Tenzou was eating silently, knowing that Kakashi wasn't really in the mood to talk.

Kakashi continued to pick at his food, content to slash at the carrot on his plate with a kunai that really shouldn't be used as an eating utensil.

"You know, I'm not really one for vegetables either, but I have heard a phrase that's something along the lines of 'don't play with your food'. Never had it said to me though. Either way, I'm not much one for rules." A cheerful voice interrupted his musing yet again as an unfamiliar ANBU sat down next to him as though Kakashi wasn't giving him the death glare of all death glares.

A childish giggle was all he got for his efforts before large innocent blue eyes looked at him with a mischievous twinkle. "You're never going to believe the stuff they teach at the Academy these days. I walked past one of the older classes and saw this guy teaching his class the henge jutsu. I'd say I got it down, wouldn't you?"

"N-Naruto?" Kakashi managed to ask very, very quietly.

"Jip, one and only. So Inu-san, what's got you so grumpy?" the not-so-blond-right-now replied.

"What are you doing here?" Kakashi very nearly choked when he thought of what the Sandaime would do to him this time.

However, he had to admit, the kid's henge was nearly flawless. Just those eyes, which he'd probably left like that on purpose.

"I wanted to give you this, and to say thank-you. I haven't had a nightmare since." Naruto smiled softly at him before presenting him with a small container. "I crashed a kunoichi lesson as well, since it was a kunoichi lesson, so boys weren't allowed and I wanted to know what they learnt in there. Was about flowers and stuff, and they were doing this lesson on healing herbs. I know what the Hokage did, after I uhm, came to ask you to sign my permission form." Naruto looked away, guilt written on every single one of his features.

Kakashi lifted a hand without thinking and curled it around the offered gift. With every encounter he found himself more and more amazed by this kid. Was he a genius, just like his father? All previous reports said otherwise. Yet here he was, in a henge perfect enough to fool the ANBU, having snuck into their base not once but twice. And he was only five years old.

"I guess I should go, before I'm missed. You know I'm technically still at the Academy, technically. Just the teachers don't really care when I'm not where I'm supposed to be." There was a hint of sadness behind that smile and Kakashi wished he could do something about it, but it would be odd if he suddenly hugged an ANBU. It would give the game away.

"Before I forget, try to avoid village patrol duty for the next week or so." Naruto's grin made Kakashi want to shiver. "I plan to exploit a weakness I spotted the other day and, well I would hate to see what Jiji does to those on duty at the time of the exploiting."

Naruto stood again, not lingering any longer than to say what he needed. He didn't even wait for Kakashi to reply. He simply walked straight out again, hands in pockets, and perhaps even humming a cheerful tune.

"You know senpai, I think that boy is going to be brilliant one day." Tenzou managed to say once he'd finally remembered how to close his mouth. Kakashi allowed a smirk to grace his features. "Yeah, and I get to be his jonin-sensei."

It was only later that they learnt of what Naruto had done before coming to see them. He'd apparently decided that the ANBU needed new decorations and had set off paint explosives with a twist. The entire place now looked like a multi-coloured funhouse, with the added stinger of "Compliments of Uzumaki Naruto. Suck on that. Besides, without this little paint job, you'd never even know I was here." There were some rude signs and gestures added in, that Kakashi made the mistake of snickering at.

He and Tenzou were both assigned to clean off the paint, not that they minded. It meant no patrol duty for a week. Besides, he made Tenzou do most of the work. Tenzou amended his earlier statement to, "Brilliantly destructive."

.0.0.0.

Later Kakashi found himself staring at the little container Naruto had given him. Naruto himself would never have need for such a thing, Kyuubi taking care of his injuries. But Naruto didn't know that and had probably thought the skill useful to learn.

Kakashi knew for a fact that the healing herbs were something only taught to the older kunoichi so Naruto had probably crashed a class of learners about to graduate.

Kakashi wondered if the ointment actually did what it was supposed to, knowing that it took some level of skill to actually get it right. Scooping the container up into his hand, the teen opened it carefully to study the contents inside. He wasn't foolish enough to simply trust that it would work. After all, it had been made by a five year old who up till now, had questionable methods for dealing with things. He was also starting to gain his reputation as a prankster.

Kakashi frowned when the light shone over the ointment inside the container, revealing a bright electric blue substance that had a metallic shine to it. Curious, he shushined to the intel department. Approaching one of the medic nins he was instantly met with nervous stutters, "We're under orders Hakata-san. We can't treat you."

"Relax, relax, I just want to know what this is. It was a present and you know us ANBU, paranoid as hell. It's supposed to be healing ointment." Kakashi waved a hand, inwardly frowning at the fact that they were so nervous around him.

The medic nin looked at the offered container and took it with surprising gentleness, a weird sense of content relief on their features.

They took only the smallest amount, frowning at the colour as well before carefully studying the substance under some equipment that Kakashi never cared to learn about.

"Amazing." The medic nin muttered.

Kakashi tilted his head, wondering what was so amazing but patient enough to wait as the medic nin seemed to be engrossed in their task.

"No need to worry about this Hatake-san. It'll heal your wounds and then some. Whoever gaze this to you cared very much for your recovery. See it has all the normal ingredients in all the right quantities and it was blended correctly. This is easy to discern simply from the texture and density alone. However, what gives it the odd colour is the fact that it was rather painstakingly mixed with pure undiluted chakra. It's a common practise to mix chakra into the ointment while making it but not in this quantity. It not easy for one thing, and for another, there's probably enough chakra in this container to make a kage bunshin. That's not common at all. Medic nins aren't known for their reserves after all." The medic reported, still staring at the sample they had taken to study.

Kakashi nodded, shocked at what he was being told.

_Naruto, you really are unpredictable aren't you?_

Later that same day Hatake Kakashi, also known as the ANBU Inu, handed in his resignation. He'd been thinking about it anyway seeing as that last mission had seemed to put things into perspective for him. ANBU just wasn't for him anymore.

Tenzou still wasn't talking to him.

.0.0.0.

Itachi watched his younger brother as he lazily tossed the kunai towards the target. He wasn't surprised when the kunai didn't have enough forced to embed itself into the wood. He was even less surprised when the kunai itself didn't even bounce off the target from the centre and rather somewhere very near the edge.

What did surprise him was the fact that Sasuke had done that while in the presence of the other Uchiha who were mumbling about Sasuke's obvious ineptitude to be a ninja. A disgrace to the Uchiha Clan Head and name.

Sasuke, further surprising Itachi, seemed to find this hilariously funny and proceeded to laugh, despite the looks of shocked disbelief.

"What the hell is wrong with that boy?" Fugaku muttered. "I'm starting to think he's retarded.

Itachi frowned and carefully pulled out his own kunai, waiting for Sasuke to inevitably throw another kunai of his own. The boy tossed a kunai once again but this time Itachi tossed one as well. The two kunai clanked loudly, Sasuke's kunai having significantly more force than what one would originally believe from watching him throw it.

Sasuke growled in admittedly adorable anger when both of the kunai hit the centre, point first.

"Aniki! Don't interfere in my game." Sasuke scolded childishly.

"Ah, but Sasuke-kun, I was merely showing you where the centre was. I thought perhaps you'd forgotten." Itachi replied with a smile meant to further irritate the boy. But it didn't. He only blinked once before smirking and pulling out a kunai and a shuriken.

"But Aniki, hitting the centre every time hardly shows talent. In fact it's boring." The soon to be six year old informed him. "With enough practise, any idiot could do it. All I have to do is flick my wrist a certain way with enough force and then bam it'll hit the centre of this target every time. Therefore, hitting the centre is just an illusion of skill."

"Hai, which is why you've been hitting the target at exactly 30 degree intervals around the edge exactly one inch away from it, throwing the kunai so that anything but the pointed end would hit." Itachi unravelled the boy's game in a single statement making him pout while the others around them gawked in stunned silence, having not realised this themselves.

"So, you're saying that I need to throw things like this," Sasuke tossed the shuriken in front of his face before tossing the kunai so that the point went through the centre of the shuriken, embedding both in the bull's-eye of the target. "Like that?"

"Without the showing off part, yes." Itachi gave a tiny smirk of his own. Sometimes it felt like he was talking to a miniature adult when he was faced with his brother.

Sasuke smiled at him, the same sort of smile he got just before he challenged Itachi in some way, not always obvious to the older Uchiha but making Sasuke happy all the same. "I'm not sure I understand Aniki, perhaps you can show me some more." Sasuke's smile widened before tossing a shuriken, this one having no real direction or even force.

Itachi reacted immediately, throwing his own shuriken so that it hit the centre of an unoccupied target. Sasuke hadn't indicated which target he was supposed to hit so it wasn't against the young boy's self-set rules.

"You're a sucker for punishment Itachi-kun." Shisui chuckled from behind him, leaning against one of the pillars to the dojo. "But I guess you're right when you say that that boy is a mystery within a mystery sometimes. Perhaps he's an even bigger genius than you are?"

"No way! Itachi-nii is the bestest." Sasuke yelled happily from across the training ground as he ran around in random circles, tossing kunai and shuriken every which way.

It was now all a point of Itachi's reputation to make sure every one of those hit _some_ centre of _something_. It was actually testing his skills which was a feat in itself and he was beginning to think Sasuke was aware of this. In fact Sasuke always managed to find some childishly gleeful way to push the limits of his skills, which not even his enemy could do that.

Either Shisui took pity on him or decided the exercise was worth a shot because he starting tossing kunai at Sasuke's projectiles too which only made Sasuke laugh more.

.0.0.0.

Sasuke wasn't blind this time to the increasingly suspicious activity that took place within and around his home as time passed. Itachi grew more and more withdrawn, Sasuke becoming less and less able to goad him into those little impromptu training sessions.

Just from watching his bother train, react to his childish challenges, Sasuke saw and learnt a lot, realising just why Itachi was called a genius and he hadn't been. His brother was incredible and he wondered in what reality he'd ever thought he was ever capable of coming close to matching that perfection.

That fight with his brother, the one where he'd killed him . . . that had been a joke.

Sasuke could see the fate of the Uchiha clan playing out in front of him and the more he saw the more he realised that it was impossible for him to stop. There was nothing he could do to change it, unless he revealed truths that did not need revealing . . . no, not even then.

All he could do was watch sadly as his brother lost himself to the duty he'd placed upon his own shoulders, silently supporting his brother in any way that he could. He would be the younger brother this time that he had failed so miserably to be last time.

"Aniki, do you think father will come to the ceremony tomorrow?" Sasuke asked quietly, staring out at the garden. Usually, this question would be followed by a request to train but he hadn't asked that of his brother since the night he had had that 'nightmare'.

As it was, this time the first time around, his brother had been carrying him home after he'd sprained an ankle trying to mimic something he'd seen his brother do. Those targets had always fascinated him, but now that he knew the trick behind it, he wasn't really all that impressed anymore. He had followed Itachi again today, watching him as he practised. This time he didn't reveal his presence, this time he noticed that Itachi was distracted, going through the motions and not really practising something he had long since figured out. This time, he didn't ask his brother about the Uchiha Police force crest.

This time he was waiting at home for his brother to return so that he could ask the question he already knew the answer to.

The thirteen year old Uchiha looked down at the boy he had merely planned on passing, his thoughts on his father who had confronted him at the gate about being late, but stopped instead. He had sensed his younger brother's presence, lingering in the training ground to see if he would say anything, come out of his hiding spot, but the boy did not. Content to merely watch him practise with that same adoration in his eyes, only this time there was something deeper there, something Itachi couldn't quite put a finger on.

Itachi was now on his way to his father's meeting room, not at all concerned that this little impromptu conversation with Sasuke was further delaying him from something he was already late for. This meeting was about a mission that Itachi wasn't planning on going on. For some reason, he suspected Sasuke knew all of this already.

"Probably not." Itachi finally answered, having come to the conclusion some time ago that Sasuke did not like being lied to and almost always knew when he was, no matter who was doing the lying. He would frown before stating the exact opposite of what had been said to him, almost always the exact truth of the matter. But he never did that to anyone but Itachi.

"Will you come?" Sasuke already knew the answer.

"I would really want to, but I have a mission." Itachi answered.

"Thank-you. For being honest. And good luck on the ANBU mission." Sasuke got up and walked away. Itachi frowned at the statement, not realising that Sasuke had known the true purpose of tomorrow's mission but he supposed he should have guessed as much anyway.

Somehow, Itachi thought Sasuke wasn't as sad as he ought to be about his father not going to the entrance ceremony, that he'd already accepted these possibilities and that he had, in fact merely asked the questions because it was expected of him.

.0.0.0.


	2. Chapter 2

**Beta-ed by Jenny-Cat-Miaow**

**Chapter 2**

Sasuke squeezed his eyes shut as he eavesdropped on the meeting he had at one time in his life actually attended.

"If you complete tomorrow's mission, Itachi-kun, your entrance into ANBU Black Ops is all but assured." Sasuke felt the shift in his father's chakra to show that he had once again activated his Sharingan, "Do you understand." Not a question, a statement that held a hint of warning. Itachi wasn't allowed to fail this mission. Not that Itachi had ever failed a mission before.

Itachi was silent, not replying for a moment before his quiet reply reached Sasuke, who already knew what Itachi was going to say, but couldn't be one hundred percent sure. "You don't have to worry about me out there, a-and more importantly . . ." Here Itachi would have looked to Sasuke if the boy had been in the room, instead he stood and came to the door yanking Sasuke's arm and pulling him into the room.

"Hey, I was waiting my turn you know." Sasuke protested, knowing that Itachi knew he was lying.

Fugaku watched silently, not saying a word. "Otou-san, you see, tomorrow afternoon is–" Sasuke began when Itachi gave him a look, almost smiling warmly at him but just as the first time, Fugaku cut him off.

"This mission tomorrow, it's not just about you. Your performance will reflect on our entire clan."

Sasuke looked away and bit his lip, wondering if Itachi would refuse again this time. A part of him dearly hoped so.

"Actually . . . I'm going to pass on tomorrow's mission." A cool, calm statement that had Sasuke holding back a choke of surprise. Even though it had happened the first time, it was still just as unexpected.

"What are you talking about?!" Fugaku was angry, leaning forward as he demanded an explanation from Itachi. "That's insanity." Sasuke found himself wondering if Itachi was dispensable to his father because he was really pushing to put the thirteen year old into the ANBU ranks. It wasn't known for its long life expectancy.

But then again, he probably took Itachi's genius for granted, merely believing without a doubt that Itachi would always be perfect.

"You know how important this is." Itachi didn't at all seem fazed by Fugaku's words, proven only further when he didn't so much as flinch at Fugaku's enraged order, "You'll do no such thing!"

Itachi blinked once, Sasuke only now realising that this was Itachi's way of gathering his calm. His anger at the Uchiha Clan was already quite prominent and Sasuke was amazed he'd managed to keep his calm this long. "I have to, tomorrow is Sasuke's entrance ceremony." Itachi smiled, Sasuke hid a smirk, and Fugaku looked a little lost for words. "Our family has to attend. It's customary at the Academy. You received a notice, remember." It wasn't really a question. Only now did Sasuke see that Itachi was silently patronising his father, all the while keeping that smile on his face as he belittled his father. The embarrassment was only further added when Fugaku failed to even realise this.

The man grit his teeth, closing his eyes in annoyance before getting to his feet. "Alright I get it. I'll be at the Academy tomorrow."

As they walked away from the meeting room, Sasuke remembered that the last time, Itachi had expressed concern for his sprained leg. This time, there wasn't anything to express concern about but Sasuke whispered very quietly so that only Itachi could hear him, "Thank-you Aniki."

He watched his brother freeze slightly, not having expected the gratitude for something he hadn't even realised that Sasuke had fully understood. He glanced back once but strangely, Sasuke wasn't behind them anymore.

Just how much of what was going on, did Sasuke fully understand far beyond his age and what he'd been allowed to see? His brother was turning out to be a bigger mystery than Itachi himself was.

.0.0.0.

Sasuke stood still, his attention focused on the leaves blowing in the trees behind them rather than the words of the Sandaime as they entrance ceremony proceeded. He'd already been to this. Why would he need to listen again?

Among the students he saw familiar faces, and knew immediately which ones would not pass. But he wouldn't say anything to them, considering it wasn't his place and it was more fun to watch them fail. Among the students however, was not a certain blond.

Glancing behind him, he saw his father, face set in a silent frown as though being here was not on his things to do list. Sasuke could relate but the man wasn't doing this for the second time, only for the second son.

When it was over, Itachi noticeably absent from the ceremony, having only threatened to come because it would make Fugaku come, Sasuke was standing with his father listening to some Academy sensei talk about the greatness of Itachi. Not that Sasuke blamed the man but did he have to do it right in front of Sasuke? Sasuke couldn't help but think that Itachi's attendance would have meant more to him than Fugaku's but he was touched that Itachi seemed to think otherwise and had made sure that Fugaku attended.

"Boy, it seems like only yesterday that you were here for Itachi-kun huh?" The man continued, Sasuke doing his very best to ignore him while still looking semi interested. The man seemed to remember his presence because he looked down at Sasuke "And you're his spitting image." At one time, Sasuke had been flattered by this. Now, he was annoyed at all the sucking up that his father had to endure.

Fugaku, however seemed used to it because he gave a small smile. "Thank-you for your help with both of my boys."

"Oh, not at all, it's been a pleasure." Sasuke remembered that there were different Academy teachers for different years and this man was one of the beginning ones. Probably the man that taught the jutsu signs. Iruka-sensei had been their graduating homeroom teacher and the one that had taught them the most about being Shinobi. Previous years had concentrated on reading, writing and various other basics like throwing shuriken and kunai correctly. Iruka-sensei had focused on aim and hitting the centre of the target. Stuff like that.

The man had started talking again. "That boy of yours is a true prodigy. There hasn't been another like him in the history of the Academy." Eyes travelled down to Sasuke, the young Uchiha wondering if perhaps the man was wondering if Sasuke was anything like his brother.

He wasn't.

He would never be close to Itachi.

Sasuke remember that his father had given more comments but Sasuke interrupted before he could. "Hatake-san. He was even better than Aniki during the Academy wasn't he? He graduated at five, right so there _has_ been someone like Aniki in the Academy before. Of course Aniki is way better but that's beside the point." Sasuke added a childish frown. He had only spoken because he was tired of this silly conversation.

Both the adults stared at him in surprise. Fugaku with a thoughtful frown, perhaps wondering how Sasuke had known this and the instructor in thoughtful wonderment. "Perhaps young Sasuke is a lot more like his brother than we first thought." He smiled and Sasuke narrowed his eyes, unimpressed with the man's attitude.

At this point in the conversation, the first time, Sasuke had been informed in rather roundabout way that even here, he would be placed within his brother's shadow. Now, he was being told directly that he was going to be compared to Itachi every step of the way. Sasuke planned to surprise them there.

This time, he wouldn't waste time with petty and childish tantrums over being one step behind Itachi all the time because this time he realised that he was well over a hundred steps behind Itachi and he had accepted that. Now, he just needed to focus on getting stronger, making sure that he didn't fall further behind. He couldn't afford to, not with what was coming.

.0.0.0.

Sasuke huffed as he sat in the Academy classroom. The first time around had been bad enough. His only saving grace this time around was the fact that his fangirls included one less member and that now non-member had made another once rather rabid member a little tamer, making the rest more timid as well.

There was also the annoying whispers about his Uchiha status and the fact that he just had to be a genius because of it. Didn't anyone think that the Uchiha had worked hard to be where they were today? Apparently not.

He resisted the urge to get out of his seat and go throw shuriken or something.

Sakura glanced at him and brushed his hand reassuringly. A small movement that would not be caught by anyone else. "Almost Sasuke, almost." She whispered.

What she was referring to was perhaps the fact that their homeroom teacher had yet to enter the classroom, or that it was almost time for the short break between years in the Academy. The break was never anything more than a week so it was more of an extra-long week end than anything else.

But she was most probably referring to the arrival of a certain blond. Whose daily activities were not quite as loud and obnoxious as what they'd been the last time around. In fact they hardly heard about the pranks Naruto pulled, but they did hear about them so they didn't worry too much about it.

.0.0.0.

Naruto sat in his apartment humming to himself as he rocked slightly back and forth, hugging his knees to his chest.

Those eyes . . . how had he forgotten the power of those eyes.

Every day, everywhere he went, those eyes followed him.

Inu had left the ANBU and Naruto didn't go looking for him outside of it. He was too afraid at what that action might bring upon Kakashi.

He did wonder though, why the other hadn't been a bit more involved in his life after he had become his jonin-sensei but then again Kakashi's sense of normality had never really been the healthiest.

Soon, so very soon, he'd get to be in Iruka-sensei's class. He'd see them again. He only had to hold on a little longer. Just a little longer.

.0.0.0.

His father's chuckle stopped him this time just as it had the first time. Sasuke looked towards the flickering silhouettes of his father and brother as his father congratulated Itachi on making it into the ANBU black ops, unknowingly congratulating the boy for getting one step closer to murdering the entire clan.

School had been tediously boring as always but that was to be expected. So Sasuke had drowned himself in the events that came just before the day his brother had killed everyone with Madara's help. He knew that it wouldn't be long now, not long at all.

.0.0.0.

Sasuke spent the next day training his kunai and shuriken aim, going through the same motions as his brother had. This time however, he wasn't trying and failing to get it right, he _was_ getting it right. And to think he'd only managed to fully grasp this while he'd been tucked away in some dark hole with Orochimaru.

"Sasuke-kun." Itachi greeted softly, just as Sasuke landed on the ground for the fifth time.

"Aniki." Sasuke replied just as softly. He didn't want to admit that the older Uchiha had surprised him.

"Shisui-kun wants to know if you're interested in training?" Itachi continued, making the boy blink in surprise.

"Let me guess, you've both decided to see just how skilled I am, eh Aniki?" Sasuke teased knowingly, watching the tiniest frown tilt his brother's lips meaning he was correct.

"Well it took me far longer to get this little exercise than what it took you." Itachi finally replied, not denying it but not confirming it either.

"I had a good sensei." Sasuke smiled at his brother to make sure he knew exactly who he was talking about.

"So you learnt that just from watching?" Shusui asked, dropping down from the trees. Seeing the two together almost made Sasuke want to laugh. The clan had sent the two most loyal Uchiha to try and betray the thing they were most loyal to.

"I'm not on your level Aniki, not even close. I just watch and learn, like any Uchiha should." Sasuke continued, not really wanting to go through an evaluation with the clans most prestigious members. They'd see too much.

"Modesty isn't really an Uchiha trait." Itachi mused, raising a brow.

"But knowing your limits is." Sasuke countered.

"Well said, little cousin." Shisui laughed, ruffling his hair.

"Besides, aren't you two supposed to be really busy with missions? I mean I'd ask you to train me but you'll just say 'Not now Sasuke-kun, I'm busy.' Or something like that and then you'll poke me on the forehead before leaving, again." Sasuke huffed, telling the tale of how things were supposed to be.

"I'm hurt, dear little cousin. Didn't I offer to train you?" Shisui asked with mock staggering while clutching at his chest. Shisui had always been one of the more outspoken Uchiha, but not in the things that he had truly believed in, just his daily emotions.

"Ohkay then, teach me how to do that Shunshin Jutsu of yours." Sasuke asked with an Uchiha worthy smirk.

"Ah my little apprentice, aiming mighty high are we not? The question is, can you handle it?" Shisui asked with mock seriousness.

"Well I guess I won't know until you show me." Sasuke quirked an eyebrow at the older Uchiha, noting that Itachi had the smallest of smiles on his face, merely watching.

This was something he had not had the first time around and this was something he would always treasure. This day, where the clan prodigies took it upon themselves to personally seek him out and offer to train him. He wouldn't forget it.

For the first time Sasuke actually smiled and forgot about the impending doom of his family and the very ninja in front of him. He merely enjoyed the moment for what it was, accepting whatever he could, and learning while he still had the chance.

He refused to think that this time last time, he'd been sitting outside their home, while his mother tended to the wounds he had gotten while desperately trying to perfect the very same exercise he had been doing flawlessly before Itachi came. He'd been sulking about how he wasn't like Itachi, how he couldn't do things as perfectly as Itachi could, no matter how hard he tried.

He had been sulking because his father had called Itachi 'my boy' for achieving the rank of ANBU, even though Itachi had been silently suffering because of it.

.0.0.0.

Sasuke sat silently as he waited for his father to finish reading his report card. Sasuke hadn't even looked at it. He knew that everything was perfect, top to bottom. Sakura's was the same, in the theory part, but not in the physical part. They hadn't wanted to draw attention there.

He didn't look up at his father with hopeful and breathless anticipation. He merely sat there with a slightly stoic expression on his face. A part of him realised that he was doing exactly what Itachi did while sitting with father. A part of him wondered if this is how Itachi had felt with every praise his father and others had given, that it wasn't really worth much if the accomplishment was so pathetically easy.

He no longer envied his brother. In fact he didn't even pity him.

He respected his brother more than what he'd done so previously, and that had been an awful lot.

The report card was lowered but Sasuke didn't react. Fugaku hesitated for a moment, taking in Sasuke's posture and facial expression. For a moment he felt like he was staring at Itachi and his heart sped at the thought.

Sasuke, his precious, innocent Sasuke couldn't be like Itachi. He just couldn't. Itachi was so cold and aloof, so confusing. It would break his heart to have a second son just like that.

But none of this showed on his face as he stated in an even tone, "Keep excelling like this and you'll be just like your brother in no time."

It didn't even occur to him that Sasuke was tired of being seen as nothing more than a miniature Itachi and that all it would've taken to get a smile out of him, was to say well done Sasuke, to mention nothing of Itachi in the process.

Sasuke respected his brother more than anything but he really didn't want to be stuck in Itachi's shadow. He wanted to be his own person too and he'd only become his own person after Itachi committed an act so horrible that it was practically forbidden to talk about. So no one even wanted to see the young genius in the ninja's younger brother.

.0.0.0.

Sasuke was awake this time when his father's angry shout rang through their home.

"Come again?! What do you mean you can't participate in tomorrow's assembly?"

Itachi had been growing more and more distant, hardly ever at home these days. Sasuke knew why that was, his life as a double spy becoming increasingly taxing as the Uchiha moved their plans for a coup along. Sasuke wished he could change it but there was just nothing that he could do.

He'd try to stop it but he knew that the death of the clan had been what Itachi had used to both save the Shinobi nation from another war, for the time being, and to satisfy Madara into not attacking the Leaf. Interfering was not an option. Not when he was still so weak.

He would have to suffer with his brother and let it all happen.

His mother and father were in a room with Itachi. Sasuke knew this already. Didn't have to leave his room to find it out. Yet he did so anyway, knowing that he wouldn't hear very much more otherwise.

"I don't think you really understand your position." Fugaku continued while silently Sasuke added "_No Otou-san, it is you who does not understand their position._"

"I'm setting off on a mission tomorrow." Itachi replied calmly, as though this was something that was happening with or without Fugaku's permission and it probably was.

"What are you talking about?" Did their father really not think that by sending Itachi into the ANBU Black Ops, he'd also be taxing more of Itachi's time? After all Itachi could hardly say no to a mission from ANBU just because the clan decided to have a meeting. Didn't Fugaku know this?

"I can't tell you, the mission is covert." Itachi replied, his tone conveying nothing of his thoughts or emotions. This was the mission where Shisui died, Sasuke knew this but did Itachi?

There was a pause, in which Fugaku gathered his thoughts, putting aside his anger. "Itachi, you also serve as the Uchiha Clan's pipeline to the Village's nerve centre. You know that don't you?"

A silly question. Itachi was all too aware of exactly what he was doing, more so than Fugaku ever would be.

"Yes." A single word, in which Sasuke finally heard the true pain his brother was feeling, and it was deeper than anything Sasuke would ever understand. But it was a pain that one had to be looking for otherwise they would not see it.

"Well make sure you don't forget it. You will be at that meeting tomorrow." It wasn't something Itachi had answered the first time around either.

Would his brother rat on him this time as well?

"Sasuke," Itachi was using him as a distraction, he realised that now but damn it if he didn't have the urge to throw something at the older Uchiha.

Sasuke opened the door and stepped inside the room. "I don't need the bathroom, Aniki. The shouting woke me up." He stated before Itachi could continue.

He watched sadly as his mother looked utterly shocked at seeing him standing there, his father growing angry, well even more so than what he had already been. What was it about this situation that caused their reactions? Was it the fact that their innocent little Sasuke knew more than he should, saw more than he was ever meant to? He wondered for only a moment, what they would have done should their plans have succeeded. They'd have been hard pressed to hide the violence from him then.

"What are you doing roaming the house at this hour?" Fugaku asked, getting to his feet. "Get to bed!"

Sasuke looked at Itachi, watching as his brother studied him, trying to understand him and growing frustrated when he could not.

"Sasuke!" Fugaku snapped, not liking the way the two boys were silently communicating. Mikoto stood and came to him, small hands grasping his arm. "It's almost as though they understand one another." She whispered fearfully.

And truly, any person that ever understood why Itachi did the things he did, was a person to be feared just as much as Itachi himself. Was Fugaku going to have to start becoming weary of both of his sons? He had thought he was safe while around Sasuke, but those eyes were becoming just as unreadable to him as Itachi's had always been. Those eyes were losing their curious innocence, slowly being replaced by pained understanding.

"Good night, Aniki. Good luck on your mission tomorrow. Tell Shisui-kun I say hi," Sasuke said eventually, turning to leave the way he had entered while Itachi's gaze widened in shock, an expression that went unnoticed by their parents. "And tell him I say good bye as well." Sasuke added just before the door closed.

"It seems Otouto, that I have underestimated you." Itachi murmured quietly to himself with a small smirk. The fact that Sasuke hadn't meekly obeyed their father as he had expected the boy to do gave Itachi hope that Sasuke wouldn't blindly follow the clan's arrogant views and traditions.

However, Sasuke had showed a far greater understanding of this situation then even the Uchiha elders and that was something worth looking into, even if he no longer really had the time. In fact, Sasuke had shown an understanding of something he should have no knowledge about at all.

This was a discovery Itachi would keep to himself no matter what. If Danzou ever found out, Sasuke would never be left alone. Sasuke would be used just as they were trying to use Itachi.

Sasuke's stealth skills were not great enough to fool him, so the boy could not be following him. Besides, the boy spent his time at the Academy and training in the various grounds around the compound. There was no way his parting words meant what Itachi thought they did.

Yet Itachi was rarely wrong. Sasuke knew more than what he should, but the question was, how much more and where did he learn it from?

.0.0.0.

It was later the next day that found Sasuke and Itachi sitting outside of their house, Sasuke's report card between them.

Sasuke's thoughts echoed the words Itachi had said to him the first time, after he had expressed his fear at being unwanted by their father. This time he voiced no such fear.

"_Otou-san only cares about you, Itachi-kun."_ Sasuke had stated very quietly.

Itachi had looked at the clouds and smiled a soft sad smile, but an understanding one, _"You probably hate me huh?" _

At the time Sasuke had been so scared that Itachi would be mad at him, that Itachi had guessed so correctly on what he'd been thinking in right that moment. It had been a moment of childish anger where he hadn't understood anything at all yet he'd demanded so much. Looking back now, knowing what he did, he was surprised he had allowed his anger to cloud his judgement so fully when it came to his brother. On that day, in that moment, Itachi had basically told him of his innocence and he hadn't listened.

But he listened now.

"_It's alright. People often think ill of Shinobi, it's only logical." _

"_That's not how I feel."_ Sasuke had tried to protest, to deny his own feelings to himself. But the moment the words had left his mouth he knew he'd been lying.

"_Hn."_ A small smile, a private joke that Sasuke now understood. _"Being the best isn't all that it's cracked up to be. When you have power you become arrogant and isolated from the world, no matter how coveted and sought after you are in the beginning, but with us it's different because you and I are flesh and blood. I'm always going to be there for you, even if it's only as an obstacle to overcome."_ Here he had paused to look at Sasuke, _"Even if you do hate me. That's what big brothers are for." _

Then they'd been interrupted. This time though, the conversation would be different, he could feel it. And this time, he wouldn't hate Itachi, he could never hate Itachi again.

"Sasuke-kun, tell me honestly, what do you understand of what is happening right now, within the clan?" Itachi didn't bother with beating around the bush, jumping straight to the issue.

"I understand that it's the reason you're not home as often and I understand that it's the reason you and Otou-san fight a lot. So it is for those reasons that I don't agree with it." Sasuke replied, looking at their surroundings rather than his brother. He knew that his brother was somewhat expecting a childish reply, one that lacked true understanding and insight. What he had told his brother was a childish version of truths that could be plausible and even seen as selfish but when looked at through the eyes of a child, it could be understood.

"What about Shisui-kun?" Itachi seemed to be holding his breath for this one.

Sasuke was so very much aware that in this moment, in this very second, Shisui was already dead, Itachi having witnessed everything or at least most of it. Just one more event that added to his mental list of events leading up to _that_ day.

"He's around you a lot, so I figured you'd have the mission with him." Sasuke shrugged, stating something he had observed and connecting it to his words but not stating the truth behind those earlier words. He had meant exactly what Itachi had initially understood Sasuke to mean. "Did you tell him I said good bye?" Sasuke asked carefully, wide childlike eyes staring at his brother.

"I did, and he told me to tell you to stop being so much like me. That I'm not as amazing as you think I am." Itachi replied, a sad smile on his face.

"Ah, but I think he's wrong. You're more amazing than what anyone will ever understand Aniki. I am only just beginning to grasp the extent of your achievements." Sasuke's eyes grew distant as he thought it over and realised that there was still so much that he had yet to comprehend about Itachi.

"You, little brother, really are a mystery. Sometimes I don't think I'm talking to a child at all." Itachi was baiting him, he knew that.

So he just smiled and placed his hand on top of his brother's. "I will always love you Itachi. No matter what happens. After all you and I are flesh and blood. I'm always going to be there for you." Itachi's eyes seemed to grow as distant as Sasuke's had been a moment before.

This conversation had been a conversation within a conversation and he wondered if Itachi would pick at the thread until it unravelled. Sasuke was inclined to let him.

But then they were interrupted by someone opening their door and shouting into the house, again.

"Is Itachi in there?!" An angry demand of an arrogant Uchiha. One that made Sasuke scowl in annoyance. "We need to talk. Get out here!"

Itachi approached them wearily, not at all concerned about their anger. He was merely tired from his mission. Sasuke followed but at a slight distance.

"What's going on?" Itachi asked and Sasuke was amazed at his acting skills. He could only tell because he _knew_. "What are you all doing here?"

"There were two people who didn't show up at yesterday's assembly." A very poorly veiled accusation. A slight pause before "Do you want to tell me why you weren't there?" An angry demand in a tone so disrespectful it made Sasuke grit his teeth. "You're in the ANBU Black Ops now. I know full well that you can be called away at the drop of a hat, and that's the case your father was trying to make when we asked _why you weren't there._" His tone suggested that no one believed it for a moment.

"But we're not your father. You won't be getting any special treatment from us." One of the others added.

Itachi bowed his head in acknowledgement, but the action was a very slight one. "I understand. I should have been more careful. Will that be all then?" Sasuke could hear the slight irritation in Itachi's tone but only because he knew to look for it.

"Sure thing, but you know what, before we go there's just one other thing."

Itachi had the sense to look more attentive as one of the other's continued. "Do you . . . know anything about Uchiha Shisui throwing himself into Nakana River?" Sasuke closed his eyes in pain, pushing the emotion aside as this was a crucial moment.

"Shisui was the other guy that didn't turn up at the assembly yesterday." This guy was a lot more aggressive in his approach than the other guy. Sasuke could see that he'd already condemned Itachi and that he was just waiting for a chance to hit him. "It's funny. If I remember correctly you kind of looked up to him like an older brother, didn't you?" The man continued, oblivious to the pain he was causing Itachi and he _was_ causing Itachi pain. Sasuke could see that. See it in the way Itachi closed his eyes to hide what he was feeling.

"How terrible." Itachi murmured. "Forgive me, I haven't seen him at all recently." He opened his eyes, whispering in a tone that was filled with hidden pain. "What a tragedy." Sasuke knew this to be a partial lie. He knew that he'd seen Shisui and had even admitted at much to Sasuke. Was he so assured of Sasuke's loyalty to him and not the clan that he would actually take a chance like that?

"Yeah, well at this point the police force sees no other choice but to launch a full out investigation into the matter."

Sasuke watched as Itachi played his part perfectly. "Investigation?"

A note was handed to Itachi after having been pulled from between the layers of material on one of the Uchiha's sashes. "This is a note Shisui left behind. We've already had it analysed. There is no question that this is his handwriting."

Itachi didn't move to take the note. "But if it wasn't homicide, why the investigation?"

"It would be no great feat for someone who possesses Sharingan to copy his handwriting." Another thinly veiled accusation.

This time Itachi did take the note, examining it as the one who'd given it to him began talking again. "The most talented of all out clan feared as Shunshin no Shisui would do anything, take any mission, for the good of the clan. Hard to imagine a man like that throwing it all away, don't you think." This time the accusation was so obvious it was painful.

"You shouldn't judge people by their appearances . . . or by your own preconceptions." Itachi replied coldly, but yet still managing to sound polite.

"We'll leave that with you. Take it to ANBU Black Ops and put in a request for them to start sniffing around as well." They appeared to be leaving but Sasuke knew it was far from over.

"Understood." Itachi replied curtly.

"Let's just hope we get a lead on this soon." One man sighed as they walked out of the house they had so rudely barged into.

"By the way," The man that really irritated Sasuke stopped to add over his shoulder. "We have our own connections within the ANBU Black Ops. You try and sweep this investigation under the rug, and we're going to know about it."

Sasuke immediately understood that the man had crossed a line with that last little dig at Itachi, that last poorly disguised accusation. Itachi's entire demeanour changed like a switch had been flicked. Eyes narrowed, lips thinned and his hand clenched against the note that was Shusui's letter.

"Why don't you just come out and say it." An angry, gruffly stated challenge. Sasuke wanted to interfere here but did not, not yet. He was just as angry as Itachi. How dare they even suspect Itachi had anything to do with it! Three sets of activated Sharingan eyes looked back at Itachi whose Sharingan was also active. "You believe I had a hand in this, don't you." Not a question.

"Yeah that's right, little punk." Sasuke's anger only grew upon hearing that man think so lowly of Itachi. It just wasn't fair.

"Listen here Itachi, if I find you betrayed this clan I just want you to know, you'll pay for your wrongs." The man that had been somewhat polite up till now warned arrogantly just before Itachi attacked them, not even trying to best them and succeeding spectacularly all the same.

When Itachi spoke again, his Sharingan was no longer active and his tone was completely different. He was now openly patronising them. "Like I said before, appearances and preconceptions aren't going to tell you anything. For instance you've already made the mistake of assuming I'm a patient man. The clan, the clan . . . You over-estimate your own abilities with _no idea of the depth of my own_." Those words had a special emphasis placed on tem, almost like Itachi was indulging in the arrogance of the Uchiha clan. "And look at you now, grovelling in the dirt."

One of the men managed to recover enough to speak once more "Shisui . . . Shisui had been keeping an eye on you recently, the strangeness of your behaviour, half a year into your time at ANBU, it was impossible to overlook. What the heck are you playing at you filthy little wretch."

Sasuke bit his lip to keep himself in place. It would not do to interfere.

"_Obsessed_ with the organisation," Itachi began again, eyes narrowing with blazing Sharingan, "_Obsessed_ with the clan, _obsessed_ with our lineage. A worthless compulsion that enslaves us and limits our capabilities, leading us to fear what we don't understand." Itachi hissed out, for once showing nothing but honesty and Sasuke found himself entranced with his brother's views, his opinions. Listening in a way he hadn't done so the first time around.

"Stop it Itachi!" Fukagu yelled having finally arrived at the house. Itachi's attention snapped towards the man, and he continued. "What on earth is the matter with you? . . . Itachi, you've been strange lately." That last statement had almost been stated like Fugaku was admitting to a defeat.

"Nothing strange about me. I have my own duties to fulfil, that's all." Itachi wasn't looking at Fugaku as he said this and Sasuke could see his brother once again collecting the calm patient mask that he usually donned and for some reason, this saddened him. Why did his brother have to always hide the way he truly felt?

"So what's your story, why didn't you come last night?" Fugaku demanded.

"To achieve the next state." Itachi replied dully.

"What are you talking about?" Fugaku asked, his tone nearing frustration.

Itachi reacted suddenly, pulling out a kunai and tossing it at the wall, where it landed directly in the centre of the clan's crest. This was a sign more obnoxious than any words Itachi would have ever spoken. This was his truest protest.

"I've had enough, there's no hope left for this pathetic clan." Itachi stated darkly. "The people of this clan are all the same. You focus on the trivial and lose sight of what's most important. Change is impossible in this fog of ignorance. How can we evolve when regulation is all we know?" Itachi seemed to be speaking to himself, the Uchiha he had knocked down earlier, getting to their feet.

Fugaku narrowed his eyes and Sasuke once again felt the charge in the air, that tension that seemed to scream of inevitable violence. He didn't stop to think about what he was about to do, he simply acted.

"Such arrogance." One spat in disgust. "That's enough, if I hear once more word of this nonsense–"

He rushed out of the house to stand directly in front of Itachi and spread his arms wide. "Leave nii-san alone." He stated firmly, none of his usual child-like innocence lacing his tone. "You ask so much of him, never once asking him what he wants. Then you have the nerve to treat him like this when something goes wrong! That's not fair!" Sasuke stopped to smirk. "Besides, you can't do anything to Aniki. He's ANBU Black Ops." He didn't have to say anything more. His father would understand.

The first time around he had been the reason his brother had bowed so shamefully in front of these arrogant buffoons. Not this time. Itachi didn't do anything that deserved apologising for.

"Oh yeah, you little runt. I might not be able to do anything to him but I can touch you." The one that had angered Sasuke the most snapped but before Itachi could pull him to safety, before Fugaku could shout the order to make the man stop, before the man could even make a move at all, Sasuke had already sent a fire ball jutsu straight at him forcing him to slam himself to the ground to avoid it.

"You can try." Sasuke sneered, acting nothing like the darling little six year old he'd been pretending to be and more like the experienced ninja he was. The problem was, he wasn't strong enough to actually back up his challenge. Not yet.

He had the advantage of surprise on his side but that would only last so long.

"He's corrupted your youngest I see." One of the men muttered to Fugaku who was watching with wide eyes.

"Sasuke, this is not the time nor the place." Itachi scolded quietly.

"Hardly Aniki, but you were about to apologise to them. They don't deserve it, barging into our home and accusing you of things you'd never do. Just who do they think they are?" Sasuke turned to his brother, venting the anger he'd been trying to keep back since the interruption had started, perhaps even from since that 'nightmare'.

"If I was about to apologise, Sasuke-kun, then that is what we must both do. We have attacked those above us in rank and we have disgraced the family name. You are young still, Sasuke-kun. You have a lot to learn." Itachi said quietly, almost lowering to his level. Sasuke looked at Itachi's eyes and saw that this was something he needed Sasuke to do so the small boy turned back to their elders while Itachi grasped his shoulder.

"Sasuke-kun is young, his understanding of the situation isn't quite what you would wish it to be." Itachi then sank to his knees, gently pushing Sasuke to do the same. They both lowered their head to the floor, Itachi still doing the talking. "I did not kill Shisui. And I must apologise for the words that I have said."

"I too have acted out of line. Forgive my childish actions, Otou-san. I was not thinking as an Uchiha should. It won't happen again." Sasuke added.

The four Uchiha men seemed stunned and for a moment no one moved, no one said a word but Fugaku recovered first. "Itachi-kun has been pretty tired lately. Up to his ears in missions from the ANBU Black Ops." His tone was robotic, a father making excuses so that his heart would not believe what his eyes had seen.

"But taichou!–"

"ANBU are under the direct control of the Hokage. Even if you wanted to arrest one of them, you'd need to get a warrant first. As for those two, I take full responsibility for them. You have my word." Fugaku interrupted while the men grumbled their displeasure, realising there was nothing they could do even if they wanted to.

"Very well taichou, but you might want to keep an eye on that younger brat."

Fugaku ignored him, walking into the house with a tired gait and a heavy expression, leaving his sons kneeling on the ground behind him. Itachi looked towards the man, and Sasuke saw the transformation up close as they morphed into those of the Mangekyou Sharingan.

Those eyes flickered to his own before widening. "A fully mastered Sharingan at six." Itachi breathed, almost lifting a hand to touch his face.

Sasuke stiffened when he realised that he did indeed have an active Sharingan and at the level that meant he had all three tomoe. He hadn't even realised that his emotional responses to this event were that strong.

"Don't tell anyone. Deactivate them, now." Itachi murmured, barely finished with his previous statement. Sasuke obeyed without question. "There are those to whom you must hide those eyes from." Itachi elaborated, satisfied that Sasuke would understand this comment just like he had understood everything else.

"Hai, Aniki." Sasuke murmured quietly, watching as Itachi's eyes faded to black as well.

The two brothers got to their feet and Sasuke blinked at his brother, waiting for him to say something, to ask the questions he knew were burning within his mind.

But Itachi didn't say a word. Instead he walked into the house, not even glancing back at Sasuke. Sasuke couldn't help but wonder if this was his way of hiding Sasuke's true power from those that were undoubtedly watching the Uchiha so very closely. If Itachi didn't openly acknowledge it, if Itachi didn't openly begin to question it, then no one else would know of it.

.0.0.0.


	3. Chapter 3

**Beta-ed by Jenny-Cat-Miaow.**

**Chapter 3**

Sakura looked away from Ino as the door opened slowly. Immediately bright orange and yellow assaulted her senses and she found herself more grateful for that jumpsuit than ever before. She jumped from her seat and rushed towards the boy that had let himself into the classroom. Even Sasuke got up and came to the front.

"Dobe." He grumbled out immediately, "Your father is a bigger teme than I'll ever be."

"I know." Naruto replied, looking up with a sheepish smile. "I had no idea that this is what he meant when he said 'experimental' jutsu."

Sakura was about to add her own grumblings to the conversation, not that she really had any other than the loss of her previous skill. She still had the knowledge so she wasn't completely lost. She was willing to bet that both Sasuke and Naruto were nowhere near the level that'd been previously when they'd first entered the Academy. It just wasn't in their design to sit on their hands and wait. As it was, Naruto's outfit had more black than orange this time, probably as a reminder of his outfit from his trip with Jiraiya.

But when she looked at his eyes, eyes that were usually bright and carefree, she had to stifle a gasp. "Oh Naruto, I didn't realise." Sakura pulled the blond into a tight hug, one that was not immediately returned but rather flinched away from before he could stop himself.

"It's ohkay Sakura-chan. How could you know?" Naruto smiled softly, a smile that did not reach his eyes.

"No, don't you ever say that. I should have realised. I should have come to see you." Sakura shushed him, scolding herself as much as she was scolding him, her hug tightening. "We, both Sasuke and I, should have come to you." Sakura whispered in a voice so distraught that Naruto's expression froze, his protests dying down.

If those in the classroom thought the exchange was strange, they didn't say so and the three in the front didn't care. After all, if the two wanted to interact with _that boy_, they weren't going to get in their way.

"You should have come to the compound." Sasuke stated in a tight tone, suggesting he was also mentally berating his own stupidity.

Naruto didn't reply. Instead he seemed to surprise even himself when a choked heart wrenching sob tore itself from his throat as his face twisted with the effort of trying to hold it back.

He hadn't realised it had hurt this much until he was clinging to Sakura and Sasuke both, like they were his very anchor to reality, sobbing out the pain of loneliness he'd had to endure since that night about a year ago.

And it was to this scene that Umino Iruka walked in upon, surprised into silence by three sets of eyes that spoke of having seen far too much for their age. He didn't know how to respond, he didn't know what to feel, but his previous hostility and confusion towards the Uzumaki boy suddenly vanished upon seeing him so thoroughly broken within the arms of two of his classmates. It was in that moment that he realised, Naruto was a boy just like every other little child, except he was lonely and hurting, not able to comprehend the hatred of the villagers around him.

No one had even been aware that the three had known each other, other than Sasuke and Sakura having a friendship of sorts and even then it was only in passing.

Sakura and Sasuke glanced at the stunned chunin before gently tugging the blond towards an empty table where the three sat down, Naruto in the middle, Sakura still holding him as he sobbed quietly into her shoulder.

Most weren't really sure what that had been about, but they came to the conclusion that they had just witnessed something that should be private, something too intense for them to ever understand so no one, not even Iruka-sensei, said a word about it.

.0.0.0.

When the trio returned from lunch, Naruto's eyes were sparkling in a way they hadn't been for quite some time and the three did not sit together again. Instead Sakura occupied Ino, Sasuke went back to brooding in the corner he usually sat at and Naruto chose a desk near the back where he promptly fell asleep upon, much to the irritation of Iruka-sensei.

During the lesson Sakura was able to answer all the theory based questions with Sasuke able to do all the practical demonstrations and Naruto barely able to do either.

At home time, Sakura suddenly disappeared from Ino's side, latching onto Naruto's one side, while Sasuke appeared on Naruto's other side and the two dragged the blond towards the ramen stand. Naruto smiled in contentment the whole way there, reacquainting himself with the whole reason he'd never given up on Sasuke in the first place and the whole reason they would always be Team 7.

.0.0.0.

"Are we going to tell anyone?" Naruto asked as he slurped his ramen.

"No, not right now." Sasuke replied eating his own bowl at a more reasonable pace.

"I think we should just keep things as normal as possible for now, so that we're still on Team 7. I like the others and all but I don't particularly want to be on their teams. Plus it'll be harder to keep the truth from them that way. Not to mention that there will be no guarantee of events to come." Sakura mused, actually eating her ramen as she wasn't on a silly diet.

The two boys hummed their agreement, focusing on the food in front of them. It was silent for a moment, the only sound the slurping of ramen before Naruto broke that silence.

"Are you sad, Sasuke?" he asked almost hesitantly.

"Why would I be?" Sasuke replied, keeping his eyes on his ramen.

"Well, the Uchiha are your family." Naruto didn't need to elaborate any further. He was asking Sasuke if he was sad that his family was going to die.

"They . . . they sort of deserve it. I think . . . I agree with Itachi this time." Sasuke replied quietly. He didn't speak for a moment but added quietly, "Itachi-nii knows about my Sharingan. Not even I knew that I could activate it yet."

"Is he going to tell anyone?" Sakura asked with a worried frown, realising that the consequences of such a thing were not ideal.

"No, I don't think he is. He also realised that's there's something not normal about me. Then again, he wouldn't be my nii-san if he didn't." Sasuke replied thoughtfully.

No one replied to that, leaving Sasuke to his silence. It was a painful time for the Uchiha but this time, they'd get through it together.

.0.0.0.

Once again, Sasuke found himself lying in his room, thinking of the day his brother had lost his control. This time, he didn't wonder what was wrong, or what it was that Itachi had used instead of the normal Sharingan. No, this time he found himself wondering if there was a way to help Itachi, to not kill him.

He also wanted to tell Itachi to never, never ever, use those eyes but he figured his older brother already knew about the consequences of the Mangekyou Sharingan, understood them far better than Sasuke ever could. After all he'd managed to keep his vision for years while Sasuke had blown it all in a few battles spanned over weeks instead.

He also wondered how things would go this time around, if his own parents were wary of him. His mother and father had both been giving him strange looks since that day, where he'd defended Itachi and his view on the Uchiha clan, but Sasuke had continued to act like the happy little six year old he'd been before.

They didn't know what to make of him.

Just for the laughs, he had wanted to invite Naruto over but that would draw attention in a time where tension was running high.

He closed his eyes as he thought of his mother, so loving, so protective.

She was also in on the coup.

She was also an Uchiha.

She would die with everyone else.

This realisation caused Sasuke to begin to distance himself from his mother, hardly staying at the house at all. It had been a week before he realised that he was doing exactly as Itachi was. He understood his brother now more than ever. This pain, this anxiety, this foreknowledge of what was to come . . . it was enough to drive anyone mad.

He wondered if he should come home the second time around or if he should go to Naruto's house, maybe even Sakura's. Would Itachi wait for him so that he could make Sasuke hate him?

Would that waiting cause Itachi to get caught?

Sasuke got up and left his room. He needed to go and train or something. He was still so pathetically weak, even if he was currently stronger than when he was a genin the first time. He wondered what Kakashi's bell test would be like this time around.

Interesting to say the least.

Looking up, Sasuke saw Itachi approaching. He paused and stepped to the side to allow his brother the right of way.

"Morning to you, Aniki." Sasuke stated with a soft smile.

Itachi paused to look at him before simply continuing to walk.

Sasuke didn't take offence to it. Itachi was getting closer and closer to the day he was going to kill his own family. It had to be hard. It had to be painful. Perhaps by ignoring Sasuke he was trying to make the young Uchiha hate him, setting the foundations for the night he finally killed all those that Sasuke had called precious.

Sasuke watched silently as his brother and father passed each other, not a word exchanged, not a bow of respect given.

Sasuke stayed where he was, watching his father walk closer. The man looked exhausted, eyes closed in distant thought. Sasuke sighed quietly to himself, realising that this was the time his father was supposed to teach him a jutsu he'd already displayed knowledge of and having used as well. It was a moment he would not get in this reality.

It made him sad to think that.

That man was still his father, no matter what he was planning to do. He didn't love the man any less. It didn't make the pain any more bearable.

Those troubled eyes opened and glanced back at Itachi with a small frown before they moved forwards again, landing on Sasuke who offered the same respectful smile and slight blush as he'd offered the first time around before saying "Good morning Otou-san."

"Ah, morning Sasuke-kun." The man was unsure, thinking of Sasuke's strange similarities to Itachi as well as all the ways Sasuke wasn't like Itachi. He wasn't sure what to say, or how to treat the boy that was as serious as any Shinobi could be one minute and happy as any six year old could be the next. "Tell me, how's everything going at the Academy?" He settled for a trivial topic.

"The lessons are boring, but I make sure to stay at the top of my class." Sasuke replied, not as nervous as he'd been the first time around. Hardly trying to sugar coat it.

"I saw that you're able to use the firestyle, fire ball jutsu."

"Hai. I've always known the hand signs, any Uchiha does. It was only a matter of executing the jutsu, that's all." Sasuke replied with a shrug meant to be casual.

"I see. Did you figure this out on your own?"

Sasuke looked at his father, those eyes strangely hopeful and fearful at the same time.

"N-no." Sasuke decided on lying. "Shisui-kun, before he uhm, died, taught me a few things." Sasuke muttered, looking away as he told the somewhat lie. Shisui hadn't taught him the fire style technique but he had given Sasuke pointers and taught him about his Shunshin technique.

It was almost as if he had known he was going to die because he hadn't denied Sasuke anything when he'd asked for the knowledge, he hadn't tried to slow down the training simply because Sasuke was young. That day, it was almost as though he'd been trying to cram all of his collective experience and skill into a condensed lesson that could be passed on to Sasuke.

He now knew more about Uchiha techniques than he'd ever learned the first time. This was something worth learning since he was an Uchiha and this was the style most suited to his strengths. After all a clan knew their own capabilities better than anyone else.

But Sasuke knew he was running out of time to learn.

"I see." Fugaku's tone grew quiet, distant. Bringing up Shisui must have been a painful thing for him.

"Is there another jutsu you'd like to teach me?" Sasuke asked hesitantly, wondering if there was indeed a jutsu he could learn from his father this time around.

Fugaku gave him a considering look before continuing to walk. "Come, then."

.0.0.0.

Sasuke didn't show his disappointment when it turned out his father was going to teach him a jutsu he already knew, but then again, he had to remember that in his father's eyes he was still a child.

The jutsu his father was going to teach him was the Katon: Hosenka no Jutsu.

The hand signs were the Rat, tiger, dog, ox, rabbit and tiger again.

Sasuke watched his father preform it before being asked to preform it himself. He happily failed the jutsu quite miserably for an Uchiha that had already mastered a fire style technique.

He was surprised to note that his father's eyes held relief and not disappointment upon seeing him fail the jutsu.

"You're not ready for this particular jutsu it would seem." The happiness in his tone was one that he barely managed to keep as suppressed as he did.

Did Sasuke's difference from Itachi mean that much to him? He'd never expressed as much before. Perhaps the scare of thinking that Sasuke could potentially be just like Itachi had made him realise just how much he loved the fact that Sasuke wasn't like Itachi at all.

Sasuke gave the man a considering look as he walked back to the compound.

He smiled softly. This meant that he wasn't replacing Itachi like he had feared the first time around. This meant that his father truly had loved him for him.

So Sasuke practiced the jutsu he already knew how to do, so that he could satisfy his father in a different way from Itachi.

.0.0.0.

"Hold on Sasuke." Mikoto called as the young Uchiha made his way out of the house once again to go and practise a jutsu he already knew.

"Yes?" Sasuke asked, pausing to look back at his mother.

"I don't know what you said to your father, or what you did, but thank-you. He's more at peace now." Mikoto stated with a smile.

"He is?" Sasuke decided to play the six year old this time.

"Hai. The trouble with Itachi-kun has been worrying him a lot lately. Now come here so that I can treat those burns." Mikoto changed into the fussing mother Sasuke would always remember her as, gently rubbing the cooling balm on his cheeks and placing the bandages over them. Sasuke flinched and whined when needed, since he was playing the six year old today. He saw that this too gave his mother a measure of peace, as the lines around her eyes softened and the smile she wore became more content, more relaxed.

If there was something small he could provide his parents in the final days before their death than he would do so. If it gave them peace to see him as Sasuke and not Itachi, then he would give them that.

.0.0.0.

It was the third day of his 'practise', that Itachi found him.

"Why do you continue downplaying your own abilities? I could already see from the first day that you knew how to do this jutsu." Itachi asked, walking down the dock towards him.

"It makes father happy to think that I am not you." Sasuke replied. "I'm not, but that doesn't mean I'm the six year old child he wishes me to be. So I shall pretend, to make him happy."

"Mature words from one so young." Itachi noted.

"You don't sound surprised." Sasuke looked at Itachi, watching his stoic expression.

"I suppose that's because I'm not. Not really. You ceased being anything but a mystery to me, Sasuke-kun, the night you had that nightmare." Itachi replied.

Was he making an attempt at learning Sasuke's secrets?

"I'll be leaving on a mission soon." Itachi sighed.

Sasuke didn't reply, wondering why Itachi was telling him this.

"I miss Shisui."

Then Itachi was walking back to the compound and Sasuke realised that his brother was trying to find someone to lean on, calling out to perhaps the only other person that could possibly understand him but not allowing himself that small luxury.

Sasuke's heart ached at the thought, the knowledge of the future that awaited his older brother.

Was there any way to save him?

.0.0.0.

It was the next day that Sasuke went to his father and stated in a soft tone. "I mastered that jutsu you showed me, Otou-san."

"Did you now?" Fugaku asked, almost like his mind was miles away.

"Hai. Would you like me to show you?" Sasuke asked.

He watched his father's eyes narrow and take in the burns and bandages on his face, eyebrows pulling together slightly.

Fugaku had agreed, his eyes sharpening to show that his mind was now fully concentrated on their conversation. They two were currently back at the docks, Sasuke getting ready to show his father the jutsu.

"_Katon: Hosenka no Jutsu._"

Sasuke cut off the jutsu when he had shown enough and turned to his father to see his reaction. Just as the man had done the first time, his eyes widened and he turned away in shock before slowly walking back up to the Uchiha compound.

Sasuke watched, waiting breathlessly to see if his father would say those words to him again.

Those footsteps were just as loud as the first time, just as heart stopping. Every single one was like a knife to his heart and he wondered if he'd ruined it by 'mastering' a more difficult jutsu than the last time.

But then Fugaku stopped.

"Now then, that's my boy. You've done well. Work hard and you're bound to soar high and bring honour to that crest you wear on your back." Sasuke closed his eyes and smiled a soft, grateful smile. No matter how many times he heard it, it would always mean the world to him.

"I will. I will always find a way to bring honour to the Uchiha name." Sasuke promised.

"From now on, mark your own path." Fugaku paused to look back at him, "Not in the footsteps of your brother."

Sasuke closed his eyes to saviour the bitter sweet moment. The problem was, how was he to restore honour to a clan that was about to be wiped out by one of their very own members without killing the one that had done it?

Kill Madara. It was that simple. And he had Team 7 to help him do it.

.0.0.0.

A few days afterwards, Sasuke was sitting with Naruto and Sakura, rather than at home about to ask his mother what Fugaku really thought of his children.

"It going to be soon." Sasuke muttered.

In his mind he knew that his mother would have told him that Fugaku loved them both, talking only about Sasuke when she and he were alone. It was a moment that Sasuke would always treasure but today he just couldn't pretend anymore. Today, he needed the support of his teammates.

This day the first time around, he'd been in an awful mood as well, wondering if he was a replacement for Itachi. He knew he wasn't, that Fugaku had perhaps been trying to distract himself from the events unfolding around him.

He sighed and Sakura held his hand.

The three of them were sitting on top of the Hokage monument, pointedly ignoring the glares the Shinobi were sending them because of it.

The three of them had taken it upon themselves to paint the Hokage monument, only the genjutsu they were currently under ensured no one knew exactly who it was unless they employed the help of the Byakugan or the Sharingan.

Instead of the bland brown and orange rock, the Hokage were now in full colour. It was easy to do it for the three of them seeing as they'd personally met all the Hokage.

They'd chosen however, to sit on the now sunny blond hair of the fourth, taking in the view of the village, the same view that Madara and Hashirama had often stared at.

So far, no one had made a move to apprehend them so they figured the Sandaime was amused by their paint job, and the fact that they hadn't rudely defaced the monument was probably a plus for them.

"_But I'll let you in on a little secret." Mikoto whispered. "When we're alone and no one else is around the only one he talks about is you."_

Sakura's fingers tightened on his while Naruto leaned his head onto his shoulder, humming slightly.

His team, Team 7. They were in this together and they would never stop being there for each other. Not this time.

.0.0.0.

Sasuke lay on his bed once again, staring at the ceiling as his mind went over the events that had been happening; the evidence of what was to come.

His body, his emotions, they felt numb, like he wasn't quite sure what to feel anymore. On one hand he lost his family, on the other he lost his brother.

No . . . he was about to lose both.

.0.0.0.

Sasuke walked into the main room only to see Itachi putting on his shoes.

He's hardly seen the other since that day at the docks. Itachi hadn't sought him out again, perhaps afraid at what he would do.

"Aniki." Sasuke greeted and Itachi turned to him.

Just to see what would happen Sasuke did the one thing he hadn't asked in nearly a year and a half. "Do you think you could help me with my shuriken jutsu after school today?"

"No, I'm busy." Almost like a reflex for the ninja and Sasuke bit back the smirk that was both nostalgic and pained. He'd almost expected a different response. "Why don't you go ask father to help you?" Was he pushing Sasuke to spend the little time he had left with his family?

"Aww, come on, you're way better at the shuriken jutsu than what he is. I mean even I can see that." Sasuke pouted at him and he could see the amusement in Itachi's eyes. Itachi knew he was playing with him.

"Aniki, why do you always treat me like such a pest?" Sasuke pouted further.

Itachi turned to him fully, a small smile on his face and gestured for Sasuke to come closer. Even though Sasuke knew what was coming he walked over to his brother whose smile widened before poking Sasuke's forehead.

He could see that Itachi was grateful for the small moment of normalcy even as he said "I'm sorry Sasuke-kun, some other time maybe, ohkay?"

Sasuke would've continued to pout and whine like a child but looking at Itachi, seeing the way his eyes stared at the ground, the pain there for the world to see for but the smallest of moments, Sasuke remained quiet.

"_I'm sorry you have to do this, Aniki."_ He wanted to say, but could not.

He stood, eyes moving away from Sasuke's view. "I don't have time for this today." He sighed and the meaning of those words could be to play the big brother, or to figure out what it was that made Sasuke so strange to him.

"_You're always doing this to me. You jab me in the forehead and say 'I'm sorry Sasuke-kun, and you never have time. It's always the same story."_ Sasuke had whined at one point in time, hardly grasping how selfish and childish those words had been at the time he'd said them.

Now he did, so he kept silent and watched as Itachi walked out the door, ready for another mission. He sighed sadly, sorry that he wasn't able to make his brother feel just a little better.

The cracked and broken Uchiha crest upon the wall was the last thing he saw before the door was closed once again.

.0.0.0.

The familiar sound of the dishes being washed filled the room as Sasuke sat with his father at the table. He glanced towards the man, taking in his distant expression.

This time, he would not enquire about a different Sharingan.

This time he would merely try to offer what comfort he could.

"Is something wrong, Otou-san?" Sasuke asked quietly, and the sound of the dishes being washed paused.

"Hmm?"

"Well you seem distracted lately, tired. Is everything alright?" Sasuke continued.

"Yes, Sasuke. Of course, why would you think otherwise?" Fugaku blinked in surprise at him.

"Otou-san, why is aniki always so cold to me?" Sasuke swiftly changed the subject realising that that approach wouldn't work.

"He's a peculiar one, your brother. He's never cared about being liked or making friends or any of that." Fugaku murmured, looking to the ceiling in contemplation.

"Why do you think he's like that?" Sasuke knew that his father didn't know but he asked all the same. Talking about Itachi seemed to be loosening him up.

"I don't know. As his father you'd think I would have a clue. But I don't." This fact was whispered in quiet anguish, as though this really pained him. "People are starting to tell me that now I need to watch out for both of you but I don't think so, do I Sasuke-kun? You're just as confused by Itachi-kun as the rest of us are?" Fugaku's eyes snapped to him and Sasuke tilted his head slightly.

"Hai, Otou-san." Sasuke replied with a small nod.

Sasuke offered his father a smile, when inside, he was quietly dying.

Things were going to happen soon, so very soon.

"Got your lunch ready, Sasuke-kun. It's time to go." Mikoto announced happily as she held out his lunch towards him. "And when you get home today I'll watch you practice you're shuriken jutsu."

"It's not practice Okaa-san," Sasuke chuckled. "It's training."

As Sasuke ran through the streets of the Uchiha compound on his way to the Academy he had to fight back the tears.

Today was the day where Itachi murdered his entire family, save for him.

.0.0.0.

Sitting at the school Sasuke drowned himself in the textbooks and the exercises of the day, Naruto challenging him loudly and often in the hopes of distracting him and also to provide him with a way to vent his frustrations. Naruto could take anything he could dish out; others at the Academy could not.

After the third taijutsu spar they'd gotten into and the third one that Naruto had purposefully lost, Sasuke lost his temper. "Stop holding back dobe!"

Naruto got to his feet and gave him a considering look, taking in the heavy panting that was hardly from the little scuffle, the anger and pain in his eyes and the slight slump in his shoulders. The blond nodded once before running at him again, this time meeting his punch and matching it.

It was lunch hour so this wasn't an official spar. The students at the Academy watched in silent awe as the two exchanged blow after blow, Naruto getting more pummelled this time than ever before, but also dishing out his own beating.

When Iruka came to stop the two, Sakura pulled him back and shook her head, quietly muttering that they both needed to vent their frustrations.

Once again Iruka found himself witnessing something that was far too private to be public and he was speechless at the amount of skill the two possessed, that they hadn't shown before. Was it a spur of the moment thing or had they been holding back all this time?

Suddenly, Sasuke's punch flew so far off its mark that Naruto ended up catching the stumbling Uchiha, holding him in a tight hug as he sobbed, much like the time Naruto had done the first day he'd come to Iruka's classroom.

"I'm sorry, so so sorry, I'm sorry, so so so sorry. . ." Sasuke sobbed over and over again as Naruto continued to hold him.

This was something no one could understand. No one there could even comprehend. Iruka didn't even know what Sasuke was apologising for.

Naruto didn't say a word, give any indication that he knew what Sasuke was apologising for either but then, he didn't have to. He knew Sasuke was apologising for a great many things, from this life and the one before.

"Why doesn't he say anything?" Iruka asked, looking to Sakura, who seemed to be the only other person who understood what was happening.

"He doesn't have to. They understand each other too well. Words would only ruin it. Besides, what can he really say?" The young girl asked, "It's not like he can say it's going to be ohkay, because we all know that it isn't."

"Sakura, what's going on?" Iruka asked, sensing something terrible on the horizon, something the three weren't telling anyone about.

Sakura turned to him then, her eyes large and almost mournful. How could such a young girl have so much pain in her eyes? "It's too late, sensei. It's already happened. That is why he cries."

"W-what happened?" Iruka was afraid to ask, afraid to get the answer but he needed it all the same.

Sakura didn't even look at him this time, only at the two in the middle of the field. Sasuke wasn't crying anymore, and was pulling away to wipe the tears from his face. Naruto watched him, eyes clouded over in some far off world of deep thought. He said something, and Sasuke shook his head. Sakura sighed, like the world was on her shoulders.

Iruka couldn't help but feel that he was standing somewhere far behind those three, so far in fact that his voice would never reach them.

Mizuki came out then, completely oblivious to what had just happened. In fact just about all the kids in the field had lost interest the moment the fight had stopped and Sasuke had started crying. The only two that had really been watching were Sakura and Iruka.

.0.0.0.

By the end of the school day, Sasuke felt the compulsion to go and practise his shuriken jutsu. Something that he'd been planning to do at home and not at school.

Startled, he realised that Itachi had placed a genjutsu on him, this morning when he'd poked his forehead.

Once again he was reminded of just how far he was from reaching Itachi's level. With a sigh he dispelled the genjutsu, feeling the compulsion slowly disappear as he headed home, knowing exactly what he would find. He had always wondered why he'd ever stayed so late at school that day in the first place.

"Want me to go with you?" Naruto asked him quietly, watching the Uchiha walk past him in a silent daze.

"No. This is something I need to do on my own." Sasuke replied, pausing only long enough to give Naruto a despondent stare.

Sasuke walked at a casual pace back to the compound, hair falling into his face and darkening his entire appearance. So much so that no one even tried to talk to him.

Standing at the gates, he stopped, wondering if this time he'd see Itachi in the act since he hadn't stayed late after school like Itachi had wanted him to.

Could he really walk in there, knowing what he did? Could he really do this one more time?

A hand grabbed his and he looked up into large blue eyes. "Did you really think I'd let you do this alone, teme?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke didn't reply, but squeezed Naruto's hand to convey his gratitude before he moved quickly, enough to knock Naruto out before the blond could even realise he was about to do it.

He used a shunshin, the very jutsu Shisui had taught him, to take Naruto back to his apartment. Going back to the Uchiha compound, Sasuke steeled himself before beginning to run through the streets as though he were late.

He paused at the same pole he'd paused at the first time, looking up to see if the same presence was there, the same watchful intensity that had stopped even him, who had been so naïve back then.

It wasn't. So he continued running, noting the sky was darkening now, instead of being dark already as he made his way through the deserted streets, knowing exactly what he would find.

Rounding the first corner, Sasuke tried his very best not to see the kunai, the shuriken, the damaged buildings and decorations. Mostly he tried so very much not to see the bodies.

Throwing open the door to his own home Sasuke paused on the threshold, habit the only thing that made him take off his shoes before continuing into the building.

This time he didn't waste time with going through an empty house. He went directly to the room he knew his parents to be in.

Dashing through the house, not even trying to be quiet about it, Sasuke burst through the doors, the very same ones he'd previously hesitated at. This was his very nightmare, replaying itself before his eyes. This was his one true failure, destined to happen again. And Sasuke could do nothing to prevent it.

It was only then that the killing intent hit him and he found himself pinned to the wall, Itachi's surprised face inches from his own.

"You're supposed to still be at the Academy." Itachi's tone was almost accusing.

Looking around his brother Sasuke saw that his parents were still alive, bound by jutsu and kneeling on the floor. He knew, from the memories that Itachi had shown him, that his parents had literally been killed moments before he'd arrived the first time.

"You'll never know how hard it was for me to walk through those gates today." Sasuke whispered with a watery smile as tears feel freely from his eyes.

"_I always lied to you, telling you to forgive me. I always kept you far away, with my own hands. I didn't want . . . to involve you. But now I think that maybe you would have been able to change our Otou-san and Okaa-san, the Uchiha. If I had faced you from the start . . . tried to see things from your point of view you and talked with you about the truth . . . but I failed and no matter what I say it still won't reach you." _

Some of Itachi's final words to him before he'd left the world of the living, having been reincarnated by Kabuto, flashed through Sasuke mind, but those words were useless now, more so than they ever had been.

"You knew. You knew that they were going to die." Itachi stated finally, stepping back to allow Sasuke to slump forwards.

"In my own way, I knew that something was going on. This morning, the look in your eyes before you left . . . I'd never seen you so defeated before." Sasuke explained.

"Still such a puzzle, aren't you Sasuke-kun." Itachi muttered, close to sounding frustrated.

"What happens now?" Sasuke asked, looking at their parents, who were staring at them, eyes sad and remorseful.

"I leave, you live." Itachi murmured, raising a hand and tilting Sasuke's head so that those large eyes looked at his. Those eyes that always, without fail, were filled with such adoration. Even now that adoration remained, tainted only by a pained understanding.

"I had hoped to not involve you." Itachi continued.

"I know. It's why you never really told me what we both knew." Sasuke closed his eyes, knowing that perhaps if he'd said something maybe Itachi would have been able to save the clan rather than kill it, but he hadn't said a word because Madara would have come anyway.

"I still haven't been able to fully grasp the extent of what you know." Itachi informed him. "Shisui told me that training you that day, was not like training a six year old, genius or not."

"He said something like that." Sasuke agreed but then he opened his eyes, exposing swirling Sharingan, "No matter what you do, Aniki, I could never hate you. I've told you before that I am only just beginning to grasp the extent of your achievements, your sacrifices."

"Even if I kill them, make you watch." Itachi's voice was toneless, his eyes and features completely blank.

"Even then." Sasuke whispered. He'd already seen it all before.

Sasuke was suddenly dragged across the room and placed in front of his parents. His father's face was devastated while his mother cried, but neither moved to stop Itachi, knowing that they couldn't even hope to stand a chance against him.

"Sharingan?" His father whispered, seeing Sasuke's eyes. "How long?" he asked breathlessly.

"Since I was five I think." Sasuke replied, not meeting his gaze.

"You aren't going to kill him, are you Itachi-kun?" Mikoto asked, not looking at Sasuke, but at Itachi.

"No." Itachi replied quietly and they both seemed to slump in relief.

"You've chosen to fight on their side; that was something I suppose I should have expected." Fugaku noted. "Promise me, that you'll look after Sasuke-kun."

"I will." Itachi drew his tanto, his hand shaking as he did so.

"And remember Itachi-kun, I will always love you. You've always been different from me, but that doesn't make me any less proud of you." Fugaku smiled sadly at his sons, both of their Sharingan swirling in angry protest to what was happening, but neither able to change it.

"Sasuke-kun, remember that promise you made me on the docks. Bring honour to that crest, and make your own path." Fugaku looked to his youngest son, the son he now realised he understood even less than Itachi and in his final moments, it was a painful realisation but he didn't let it show in his features.

"Hai, Otou-san." Sasuke promised once again.

Itachi raised his tanto, hesitated, hand shaking all the while as tears ran down his face.

"Do not hesitate Itachi, our pain will last only an instant, while yours will never fade." Fugaku whispered, "Finish the path you have chosen to walk down."

"_His sacrifice is far greater than what you will ever know."_ Sasuke thought to himself as he closed his eyes so that he didn't have to see the tanto fall and meet its mark.

He couldn't block the feel of his parents' blood splattering on his face. He couldn't block the sounds that the tanto made as it entered their bodies, exiting once more after having pierced through their hearts.

Perhaps this was worse than seeing it.

"Sasuke-kun, my foolish little brother." Itachi stated softly.

The young Uchiha opened his eyes, only to be staring straight into Itachi's Mangekyou Sharingan.

The torment from before, it started all over again but still, he would not hate his brother, he would not allow the other to push him away. His world became that black and white hell of utter torment but still, he would not hate his brother, not again. Over and over he was forced to watch those of his clan die. Over and over he was forced to watch as his mother and father were killed right in front of him.

Once again he managed to pull himself out of it with a scream of pain as he fell to the ground, gasping for air. His heart raced in his ears, making it seem like there was no other sound in the world but he knew there was.

"I still won't hate you." Sasuke gasped out. He was lying on the ground, unable to get up, unable to move towards his brother.

"Why do you refuse to see nothing but the good in me?" Itachi questioned, sounding mildly frustrated.

"You truly are a gentle person." Sasuke said the words that his father had not this time around. "And I can never hate you. You are my brother, my flesh and blood. I'll always be there for you, no matter what." Sasuke felt like a hypocrite saying those words, but the words of the Second Hokage reminded him that when an Uchiha loved, they loved unconditionally. Only now did he fully grasp the meaning of those words.

"You haven't once asked me why." Itachi noted, not responding to his previous words. "But I'll tell you anyway. I did this to test the limits of my own strength–"

"Why do you persist in trying to make me hate you, I won't." Sasuke demanded, moving his head so that he had a better view of his brother.

"Let me finish Sasuke." Itachi scolded. He seemed adamant to make this happen, to make Sasuke hate him, so Sasuke would let him believe that he had. "I did this to test my ability, to see who could stand against me."

". . ."

Itachi watched him, clearly waiting for a response, or perhaps trying to figure out what was going through his head in that moment. So Sasuke spoke, "You shouldn't use those eyes so freely. Power always comes at a price." Sasuke muttered.

"I know. So think of it as a testament of how highly I think of you, foolish little brother." Itachi replied, using that annoying nickname, but the one that fit him most.

Sasuke continued to lie on the floor, making no move to get up even though he knew that he could. He'd done so before so why not now? He did not want to fight his brother this time. He did not want to hate him. But in order to satisfy Itachi he had to pretend he did, just like Itachi was pretending now.

So he made himself struggle to his feet, made himself rush at his brother with a cry of anger that was mostly directed at himself only to be met with the same result as before, a clenched fist to the stomach. He allowed himself to drop back to the floor, gasping in the pain he knew he deserved.

This time, when he cried it was not at the pain and terror he felt at what was happening around him, no, it was the shame of his own inability to do more.

He forced himself to his feet as Itachi moved towards him. His mind reflected on the last time this has happened, how he had run from the room and how Itachi had let him. He'd paused only long enough to grab his shoes and pull them on, an action that had been foolish at the time. He hadn't, not once, taken into consideration that Itachi could have killed him in that time, so many times that night. He'd been too foolishly blinded by the lie his brother had crafted.

This time he did not run, he faced Itachi, breathing hard.

When he ran at Itachi again, it wasn't to attack him but rather to yank the Konoha headband from his forehead. "You won't be needing this anymore." Sasuke stated lowly. In truth he couldn't bear to see his brother slash the only symbol of loyalty a Shinobi visibly had. His brother didn't deserve that.

So instead he would keep the headband, and he would return it the day he managed to save his brother from his own fate.

Itachi eyes were wide for a moment, before he smirked. "If that is what you wish. I have acted like the older brother you desired for one reason, because I wanted to discover how powerful you were. I needed to find a worthy opponent to test the limits of my own abilities. You, have that unique potential. Hating me, will give you the desire to defeat me which is the exact reason I'm going to allow you to live. Don't you see, it's all for my own benefit? Like me, you may be one of the few that can use Mangekyou Sharingan. But there is a catch." Here Itachi paused and Sasuke stared at him in confusion. He had no idea what he brother was trying to achieve in making him hate Itachi. "Take the life of your best friend._ You must kill him_!" That was a lie. He knew that itachi hadn't killed Shisui and he'd still gained the Mangekyou. "Just like I did."

Itachi didn't require Sasuke to say anything as he continued to speak. "In the main hall of Nakano Shrine, underneath the seventh tatami mat on the far right, is the clan's secret gathering place. There you will find a secret document, an explanation of the Uchiha's clan's jutsu. It tells of the visual jutsu's true purpose." Itachi stopped to smirk arrogantly, "If you discover how to activate it, you will be the third person to obtain the Mangekyou Sharingan, including myself." Itachi stopped to chuckle, "To ensure that that happens, that's enough reason to let you live."

Sasuke remembered that this was where Itachi left, where he went after him and activated his Sharingan the first time around. Where his brother told him that he wasn't worth killing, that he was too pathetic. Where his brother actually cried over what he was doing.

"_Oh don't worry, you're not worth killing _my foolish little brother_." _Had Itachi actually been disgusted in his behaviour that night because Sasuke sure was ashamed by it?_ "If you wish to kill me one day, in hate and revenge, surviving in such an unsightly manner such as this, by all means flee, cling to your wretched life and then one day when you possess the same eyes, _come back and face me."

Those were the words Itachi had said to him the first time around. What would he say this time?

When Sasuke was faced with those Sharingan eyes again, this time, he didn't break out of the genjutsu; Itachi had made it too strong.

He managed to stay with it long enough to watch as Itachi pried the headband from his fingers and placed it within his school bag.

_Sentimental Aniki? _

This time there would be no chasing after Itachi, but he did see the tears as Itachi placed that headband between his textbooks so that it wouldn't be found even if anyone cared to look.

No, all they'd find was a lost little Uchiha, in the same room as his murdered parents.

"I still don't hate you, Aniki." Sasuke whispered before passing out.

Whether or not Itachi heard him, he'd never know.

.0.0.0.


	4. Chapter 4

**Beta-ed by Jenny-Cat-Miaow.**

**Chapter 4**

Sasuke jerked awake in the same hospital room that he had woken up in _before_.

Itachi was so confusing it wasn't even funny. Had he promised to take care of Sasuke for his parents' benefit, their peace of mind, before he killed them? But then why did he want to make Sasuke hate him afterwards? Sasuke had been there, he'd heard the promise. So why?

Sasuke snuck out of the hospital again, this time not pausing to listen to the nurses' conversation. He just kept running, straight back to the Uchiha compound.

What he didn't expect to find was Naruto waiting for him, arms crossed over his chest and eyes closed but turned towards the ground as he leaned against the wall that surrounded the compound. He looked angry and Sasuke didn't blame him.

"Teme . . ." Naruto started, but his voice trailed off. He sighed and looked up at Sasuke. "Shall we go and get some of your things?"

"I can't move in with you Naruto." Sasuke immediately caught on to what the blond was offering, "Not yet. And don't forget, we agreed to let this happen as normal so that we're placed on Team 7. Besides, we both don't need the added attention." Sasuke paused to run a hand through his hair, "I appreciate that you're here for me, and I won't forget it, but just . . . leave me alone for now, kay?"

Naruto watched him for a moment before nodding stiffly and shifting his weight away from the tape marked wall. When he walked passed Sasuke he brushed his hand against the Uchiha's in a final show of comfort and Sasuke closed his eyes to fight the tears because of it.

Walking through the ruined streets of the Uchiha clan district was just as depressing as it had been the first time around. He didn't walk very far, merely standing at the entrance, having only walked a few paces in. He stood staring at the world around him, trying to absorb it all again, to come to terms with it. His home . . .

He stood at the entrance for what felt like hours, until the rain came, but still, he stood there, not moving at all. He couldn't look away from the broken buildings, the shattered compound . . . the evidence of what had happened to his family.

He flinched slightly when a jacket was placed on his shoulders and he turned to see large green eyes and pink hair carefully pulled back by a red bow. "Sakura . . ."

She smiled softly before saying "I told my parents I'm staying over at Ino's tonight."

His hand was grasped by someone much warmer and he knew it was Naruto's. "I don't care who knows. I'm sticking right here and to hell with the rest of them." Naruto declared.

Really, Sasuke should have known. The two had hardly given up on him the first time around, they weren't about to start any time soon.

Sakura tugged them all forward, moving to find some shelter from the rain. They ended up sitting in his old room, the two of them having bought a change of clothes and warm food. Sasuke couldn't have been more grateful towards the two as he was right in that moment.

They hadn't given him what he'd asked for, but they'd given him what he'd needed.

.0.0.0.

When the next morning dawned bright and clear, the Uchiha saw that his teammates were still curled around him, fast asleep. This time, he would not go to the shrine. He already knew what it said. This time he would survive; get through this, one day at a time. And this time he'd have Sakura and Naruto at his side, every step of the way.

.0.0.0.

All three sat in the Academy, only two days after the massacre had happened, including Sasuke. He knew that many thought he should still be at home, recovering from the horrors he had seen.

But they didn't understand that he had no home to return to, that all the family he had left was right in this room. Only he couldn't talk to them, not yet, lest he risk questions he did not want to answer. They' been taking so many risks lately that it wasn't even funny but from now on, they had to stick to the plan. They had to make it to Team 7 and if that meant Naruto failing that exam for the third time then so be it. But they would all be on Team 7, no matter what. He just couldn't handle anyone else.

It was the only thing that kept him sane as he _had_ to listen, _had _to endure the chatter around him, the not so quiet whispers of the other students as they spoke of his family, used the tragedy that had befallen him as the next big thing to gossip about and trade secrets of.

"_I heard he's the only one that survived." _

"_I heard he was found in the same room as his parents." _

"_I heard he's some kind of freak and that's the only reason he's still alive . . ."_

It made him sick!

How would they like to have their entire family ripped from them in an instant? And by the very person they most adored. And the worst part about it, all of it had been completely necessary.

Sasuke sighed heavily, wishing he could be miles and miles away from here, with his teammates on some outlandish mission just like the days in Team 7 before Orochimaru. But as it was he was forced to stay in this room, where he had told both Naruto and Sakura that under no circumstances were they to treat him any differently from before. The only way he'd convinced them to agree was by saying he couldn't bare it if he suddenly found himself graduating with a new team.

So he would continue to have the best grades, Sakura would continue to be the best kunoichi and Naruto would continue to be the dead last.

It was that simple.

He jerked slightly when an ANBU shunshined into the room, and knew that this was different from last time. He might have been in a daze somewhat after Itachi's attack the first time around but he _knew_ there hadn't been an ANBU.

"Uchiha-san, the Hokage requests your presence."

"Well tell the Hokage I refuse." Sasuke replied while many gasped at his disrespect to the Hokage. "If it is merely a request I am within my rights to refuse."

In truth, Sasuke didn't feel like seeing the man that hadn't tried hard enough to save his clan. He hadn't tried hard enough to keep Danzou in control.

"Hokage-sama said to reply to that statement with 'If Sasuke-kun is well enough to go to the Academy, then he is well enough to come have a small talk with me.'" Sasuke was amused at the tone the ANBU used when parroting the Hokage's words but he wasn't really amused with the words themselves.

"I'm not sure if I like the fact that the Hokage used my name so casually." Sasuke narrowed his gaze at the ANBU.

"Well, then Uchiha-san, seeing as you are not taking the hint, it appears I'll have to take you to Hokage-sama by force." The ANBU stepped forward, clearly thinking Sasuke was going to make this easy for him.

Sasuke had no such plans. He was far too annoyed right now to play the meek little Uchiha victim.

The minute the ANBU made a grab for the back of his shirt he used one of Shisui's tips to end up on the other end of the room, halfway between the window and the door, either exit was good.

"I'm sure you're aware of the fact that my cousin was Shunshin no Shisui, correct, and I'm also sure that you and your brethren have a certain protocol when it comes to a certain Uzumaki Naruto." Sasuke began while the mentioned blond perked up in interest, doing that odd thing where he hops up onto a table, crouching on it as he observed what happened around him. Sasuke had long since come to the conclusion that it was so that Naruto was in a rather unique position to bolt before you could get to him.

This time he smirked at the ANBU and the ANBU flinched.

"Nah Itachi-kun isn't going to catch me this time." Naruto winked at the ANBU. "Neither is Shisui or Inu. Makes me wonder what you poor souls are going to do now." Naruto taunted while the ANBU began to fidget, the ANBU equivalent of paling and whimpering, in the beginnings of an anxiety attack.

"So, tell me again how I absolutely have to go see the Hokage." Sasuke's smirk widened as he saw the ANBU visibly struggle with his next decision. On one hand he was oath bound to obey the Hokage, on the other hand being the reason Uzumaki Naruto began one of his little escapades again was not a fun place to be. His fellow ANBU would make sure he knew that.

"B-but Hokage-sama requests your presence." The ANBU stuttered.

"That's too bad, I just don't feel like seeing him right now. So tell me, are you going to insist that I see him." It wasn't really a question; the ANBU followed orders and an order from the Hokage was as high up as they come.

Hanging his head the poor ANBU pressed a hand to his radio link, "I'm requesting backup with a Code Orange issue . . . and reporting a Code Uchiha issue. It is advised that ANBU Inu be called in from retirement."

"Naruto, you heard the man." Sasuke grinned wolfishly.

"Now, Sasuke we ruuuuuun." Naruto cackled with a foxy grin before making a mad dash away from the classroom using the window. As he hopped through it, he yelled "We must collect supplies."

Sasuke gave the ANBU a cheerful wave before following the blond.

"Since when was Uzumaki and the Uchiha such great friends?" The ANBU muttered.

"Neko, why are you reporting a Code Orange, we don't see anything that appears to relate to it?" His superior radioed back.

"Well sir, I have it on good authority that it's about it start. I thought the heads up would help." Neko replied. Perhaps he'd be saved because he'd given the heads up.

"Who's authority?"

"Straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak. It would appear that the Uchiha goaded him into it and is now helping him." Neko cringed at the reply that was sure to be a demotion of some sort.

"You mean to tell me that the Dead Last of the Academy, that particular Dead Last, is now getting help from the Rookie of the Year?" Neko wilted at that tone he was hearing.

"H-hai. Apparently, Uchiha did not wish to see the Hokage today." Neko replied meekly.

A huge sigh was all he got before the radio suddenly went dead.

Neko waited, wondering what his orders were now.

"Ah, ANBU-san?" Neko looked up at the Academy instructor that looked more than a little gobsmacked, having never seen something like this before. Clearly he did not know Uzumaki that well. Neko envied him.

Uzumaki had changed his pranking grounds from the village shopping district to the ANBU headquarters and he was rather efficient at it. If they didn't know any better, they'd say his role as the dead last in the Academy was all just an act but upon observation they had come to realise, most of the Uzumaki's successes were based on sheer dumb luck.

"Umino." He replied tonelessly.

"Is something wrong? Or would you like me to go and bring those two back to the Academy?"

That would be the fricken day! ANBU showed up by a fricken chunin Academy instructor, a glorified desk bound super charged civilian. No way in hell!

"No Umino-san. They will both be returned shortly." Ha! As if, Uzumaki would keep them on their toes for hours to come. They'd be lucky to get home in time for dinner today. But ANBU kept their cool, at all times.

"NEKO!"

Except when their superiors showed up personally to punish them.

"Why the hell aren't you running yet!? Uzumaki could be halfway across the village by now, and that includes having left his brand of traps along the way. Get moving! The Log will not be able to help you should I get my hands on you if Naruto is not detained in the next five minutes."

At that current moment, Neko wished he was anyone else, even a glorified desk bound super charged civilian.

.0.0.0.

Naruto snickered as he watched the ANBU squad dispatch from the base. If he didn't know any better he'd say they looked kind of upset at being called out at all, and actually really annoyed that it was for a premature Code Orange. If they felt that strongly about it, he would indulge them.

"So, what do you usually do when there's a Code Orange?" Sasuke asked curiously, standing next to him and watching as well.

"Well you remember those times when the ANBU are all really visible, and those times where they're running around the village like ants or something?" Naruto asked.

"That was you?" Sasuke's eyes widened.

"Yeah, apparently, they don't like it when I help them keep their identities anonymous. Or some of the other stuff I help them out with." Naruto shrugged as though it was no big deal. "I mean come on, all I did was put glue on their masks, and rigged them to spray paint in the ANBU's face should they attempt to remove them. They didn't even thank me. Well maybe I went a little overboard when I swapped all their rations supplies with instant ramen. Or maybe it was overkill to exchange all their kunai with the Academy ones, you know the ones that have that strange rubbery effect so that no one gets hurt but they're still made of metal." Naruto elaborated with a pout.

Sasuke blinked at him, taking in the blonde's all too serious expression, wondering if he was joking or not.

"Ah who am I kidding?" Naruto cackled, "I'd do it again any day and _not_ just to 'help them keep their identities a secret'. At the current moment I'm debating the advantages of setting up a somewhat strenuous obstacle course for them to run through. Well they wouldn't see it as such but they need to be kept on their toes."

"What did you have in mind?" Sasuke quirked a brow. He might be the more stoic of the two, but Naruto had always been able to somehow rope him into these little things.

"Let's sneak into their rooms, shall we?" Naruto rubbed his hands together gleefully. "This time you can cover us with that overpowered genjutsu shit of yours." He added before hopping down from the building and making his way into the ANBU headquarters using nothing but a simple henge.

Sasuke raised a brow at that. If the ANBU could be fooled by a henge, then they deserved whatever it was that Naruto was about to unleash upon them.

.0.0.0.

Five or so hours later found Naruto still running from the ANBU, only Sasuke was surprised to note that the ANBU were constantly under-estimating his blond teammate. A simple henge or replacement jutsu seemed to be enough in some situations to completely fool his pursuers. However, Naruto had this knack of being able to use those jutsus at just the right time.

Then again, Naruto's Kami given luck just never ceased. He would do things that made even Sasuke raise his brows.

Naruto had lectured him for a full ten minutes, that 'One does not simply, _run_, from the ANBU.' Sasuke hadn't even been aware that there was a special way for running when it came to both speed and stamina. He supposed that Naruto being the son of the Fourth meant he was bound to have some sort of speed under his belt.

Naruto's style of running was a very effective one, one that could not be predicted . . . even with the Sharingan as Sasuke had discreetly tried to.

Seeing the blond like this, playing with Konoha's most feared, he had to wonder how Naruto had ever been the dead last. He supposed Naruto just wasn't one for textbooks. Or sitting still for long periods of time.

Sasuke had been told by Naruto after the first two hours, after Sasuke had become rather embarrassingly winded from all the running, jumping and dodging, to make a break for it while he still could. Naruto had used a Kage Bunshin as a substitute to fool the ANBU into leaving Sasuke alone.

As far as Sasuke knew, they were still running.

And this was all before Naruto had even set up his prank – or rather before the prank had gone off. That part was still to come. They were only chasing him in an attempt to prevent a prank that had already been laid.

And that was how Sasuke found himself sitting on the docks, staring at the water below him. It was rather peaceful here, and he liked that. He found himself thinking that he'd be hard pressed to wait until he was twelve before he started acting. There was no question that he needed to train more – they all did – and they would do so more earnestly once the Uchiha massacre attention had died down a little.

Then perhaps he could talk to his teammates about doing something about certain people, such as Kabuto. He wondered just how great Konoha's investigative skills were and just how great Team 7's stealth and assassination skills were in comparison.

"I thought I'd find you here Sasuke." The young Uchiha did not miss the fact that the 'kun' part was left off of his name.

"Sandaime." Sasuke replied tonelessly, never one for honorifics. It seemed whether he wanted to see the Hokage or not, he was going to.

"How are things going for you, Sasuke?" Sarutobi did not ask him to move from his spot, did not ask Sasuke to face him.

And for that Sasuke was glad because he still wasn't sure that he could keep the anger from his face.

"I'm doing as well as could be expected considering my circumstances." Sasuke shrugged. "I'm not alone." He didn't elaborate.

"Ah, Naruto-kun and the Haruno girl are quite protective." The Hokage smiled knowingly, Sasuke could just hear it in his tone. He didn't bother asking the old man how he knew about this. He was the Hokage after all and this was a ninja village. They'd also done a rather poor job of hiding it so far. "I've been watching you three for some time now, after a reasonably concerned chunin of mine told me of a rather odd scene in his classroom. I find myself coming to the conclusion that you three all have that certain something that Itachi-kun once referred to as 'off' or 'different'. He never could explain it any more than that and I don't blame him. I find myself at a loss for adequate words as well."

"What is it that you want from me?" Sasuke wasn't entirely sure what the old man was implying and because of this he wasn't entirely sure if he liked it.

"Nothing at all. I'm just glad that Naruto-kun managed to find a friend, a similar soul so to speak. I would hate to see that special bond you share crushed due to something as pointless as say, revenge."

"Are you trying to guilt me into remaining loyal to the village?" Sasuke asked, finally turning a blank gaze to the Hokage. _"that failed my brother and my clan" _was the part that he left unsaid. "Because if you are, you're wasting your time. Besides, what made you think you had to anyways?"

Sasuke didn't say a word of his actual loyalties, leaving the Hokage to figure that one out on his own.

"Itachi-kun expressed concern over your mind set. He was uncertain of what you would do after he left and felt he needed to warn me." The Third seemed to be intent on being honest with him. He wondered if the Hokage was merely stating what Itachi had done for the sake of saying Itachi had done it or was he trying, in a roundabout way, to say to Sasuke that Itachi was still loyal. After all, why would a supposed traitor warn the Hokage of a possible threat?

"I will go where Naruto goes." Sasuke replied, not even blinking as he stared at the aged Hokage in front of him. "And where Sakura goes. That being said, can you guarantee that we will be on the same team, no matter what the results of our Academy tests are?"

"I'm sure that can be arranged. But I think I might have missed the part where you three were so inseparable to begin with." Sarutobi's stare was just as blank.

"We were five." Sasuke stated simply. "And it wasn't seen as practical to be friends with Naruto. Now, I simply do not care and no longer wish to hide this fact."

The Sandaime's gaze lingered on him for a moment longer before the old man started to walk away. Sasuke stopped him before he could go too far and asked with a slight frown. "What was the purpose of this?"

"Itachi-kun said you were a strange one, that even he could not comprehend the thoughts in your mind. I think I am beginning to understand what he meant. Does this strangeness apply to both Naruto and Sakura?" Sarutobi raised a brow questioningly to which Sasuke shrugged. "I cannot say, you'd have to ask them."

"However, you did not answer my question." Sasuke pointed out.

"Alright, young Uchiha, I'll be truthful with you. It's been a while since anyone but Naruto was so brash with me. You hail from a powerful clan, a clan that has just been murdered by one of its very own members. Incidentally, the person who did it was your own brother, a brother whom you openly adored. It was my desire to learn if this tragedy had affected your loyalties to Konoha, to see if you were inclined to be easily swayed away from Konoha with the mere promise of power, you after all, are the last Uchiha other than Itachi-kun. Many would try to use this event to gain a hold over you." Sarutobi explained. "You should be wary of that young Uchiha, and perhaps hold those two very close to you."

"Is this your Hokage way of expressing concern?" Sasuke asked with a raised brow.

"You could say that I suppose." Sarutobi smiled back, a twinkle in his gaze.

"And if Naruto, Sakura and I had a desire to train where no one would find us, where could we do so?" Sasuke asked with a small grin, very small.

"Oh I imagine the private Sarutobi grounds would suffice. But then if that is not what you desire, perhaps training ground 19. It is often overlooked." The Hokage was walking away once more and Sasuke didn't call after him again. The old man was strange, using tactics that most would call him crazy for.

He knew there was something up with the three of them, but he wasn't inclined to do more than give them the room they needed to grow, so that he could observe and learn more. Sasuke wondered if he could figure it out.

He stood up and began to wander his way back into the village, his thoughts turning to his teammates. Well, now that he had a secure place to train those two were in for one hell of a ride. This time, things would be different.

Another question popped into his mind. What would the ANBU do once they'd realised that Naruto had rigged their beds to fall apart the moment they'd gotten comfortable on them? He supposed it wouldn't be pretty, if they could catch him that was.

.0.0.0.

Kakashi sighed when there was a knock on his door.

He got up off his couch and approached his front door wearily, because being a ninja meant that knocking on a door was simply unheard of unless one was going to see the Hokage and even then it was a hesitant action.

He was more than a little surprised to see a fuming Tenzou glaring at him.

"You runt is at it again and you've been ordered to armour up." Then Tenzou was gone, still mad at him for leaving ANBU.

Kakashi sighed before he headed to his room and pulled out his ANBU armour. One did not retire from ANBU. They merely took less missions.

He found Naruto easily enough. The blond brat was laughing hysterically atop the Hokage Monument and Kakashi, now Inu, dropped down next to him.

"So what's the score?" Inu asked, his tone the same cold politeness of any ANBU's.

"I'm winning. Let's leave it at that. It's too embarrassing for your side to even mention by how much." Naruto shrugged.

Inu smirked beneath his mask and sat down next to the seven year old. He had yet to learn the depths of Naruto's skill, his genius. He was enjoying the puzzle and these small moments where he was allowed to interact with the blond were something he treasured.

"It's a nice day today." Naruto commented, closing his eyes as the wind ruffled his hair.

"It is, isn't it?" Inu hummed in agreement, turning his lone uncovered eye towards the cloudless sky.

The two didn't speak further, simply basking in the warmth of the sun and the enjoyment of each other's presence.

However, when they sensed the arrival of another angry ninja, Inu quickly Shunshined away, so that if it was his ANBU superiors, then he wasn't likely to get into trouble for not bringing the blond in immediately.

Umino Iruka dragged Naruto by the ear all the way to the Academy for his after school catch up lesson. By the sounds of things, Uchiha Sasuke would be joining him.

Inu shook his head in amazement. That chunin was full of surprises. Not one of the ANBU could even lay a finger on Naruto, yet he couldn't out run his Academy sensei.

He was going to have fun reporting that one to his superiors. With an evil chuckle he disappeared into the shadows, already planning some clever words to use in his report.

.0.0.0.

"Should I fail the graduation exam again? You know with the whole Mizuki thing?" Naruto asked, tilting his head so that it hung over the tree branch he was currently perched on so that his he could look down at Sasuke who was leaning against the tree on the ground below.

"No. Besides, if anyone asks how you learnt the Kage Bunshin, you could always say that Sasuke taught it to you. There's not really anyone around to say we're lying." Sakura replied. She was lying in the grass, legs crossed and book in front of her nose.

Naruto had replaced the three with Kage Bunshin at the Academy under a henge while the real three went to training ground 19 and began to train like it was nobody's business. The only time they went to the Academy was during test days and during the days where a Kage Bunshin was in danger, constant danger, of being dispelled. Naruto wasn't complaining because he was actually learning something this time around since his Sasuke and Sakura clone had to actually be paying attention.

The three had decided against acting out towards those who needed it such as Kabuto, in favour of training seeing as they were nowhere near the skill required to kill the bastard and using techniques such as Rasengan and Chidori left pretty memorable markings.

Sure a kunai slash to the throat was pretty anonymous in the world of ninja, Sasuke had just doubted they'd have been able to get that close to the slippery little bastard. Seeing how he was a spy, his paranoia was worse than anyone that Sasuke had ever known and that was saying something since he was an Uchiha.

So they opted for waiting for the Forest of Death. Plenty of opportunity there.

"But, wouldn't that be like letting a traitor live unnoticed?" Naruto questioned.

"The dobe has a point there." Sasuke conceded. "The traitor _is_ in league with Orochimaru."

Furthermore, they had decided to let their grades remain the same as always, Sasuke at the top, Sakura the best kunoichi and Naruto the dead last of the Academy. Sasuke hadn't wanted the Sandaime to start suspecting the other two as well.

It wasn't like the Sandaime was suspicious per say it was more like Sasuke was related to Itachi so his oddness could possibly be explained away by that alone. But Sakura and Naruto had no such advantage so they had to be extra careful not to raise any alarms.

And so far it had gone reasonably well, considering the graduation exam was in two days' time.

Naruto back flipped off the branch, looking more like he had fallen off of it but Sasuke knew he was using gravity's momentum, being lazy. "So if I fail, he'll try that stupid stunt again. Also suddenly going from being the dead last to being able to pass the exam is suspicious. Besides, I _still _can't do a normal bunshin." Naruto was actually pouting at that, even if technically the boy was really somewhere between twenty-two to twenty-three years old mentally.

"Alright, just for the sake of simplicity, you'll fail the exam. You better hope Mizuki comes at you, or else you're stuck as a pre-genin, again." Sasuke agreed with a smirk.

Naruto had used his borrowed time, so to speak, in order to look up whatever he could on the sealing arts, wind style, trap making, strategy, coding and taijutsu. Sasuke had broadened his knowledge on fire style and lightning style techniques as well as several other knowledge related areas, especially history. Sakura had looked into a number of earth style and a few water style jutsu, branching deeper and deeper into the medical field. All three had drastically improved, having only needed a single year to get to their old level of skill because they knew exactly how to do it and had only needed to train their bodies to catch up to their minds.

The three of them were well versed in kenjutsu, Sasuke's favourite apparently, and Naruto still couldn't do genjutsu and had resigned himself to the fact that he never would.

So effectively the rest of their time had been spent learning things entirely new. Considering the skill jump they had achieved in the two and a half years or so between the Fourth War and the day Sasuke had left to train with Orochimaru, their skill now was only limited by the fact that their bodies somewhat kept them back, and that they were their own teachers and that was always slower than having an experienced Shinobi around to guide one in the right direction.

Naruto was also slightly gleeful of the fact that his sage mode was not lost to him, it just no longer looked the same, and he was no longer in danger of turning into a toad. For some reason, having not signed the toad summoning contract meant that he was no longer bound to those same rules. Sasuke had explained it as no longer having any blood ties disrupting his chakra. Naruto hadn't really understood how blood ties to the toads disrupted his chakra but he didn't question it. It would have led to a lengthy explanation he really did not feel like listening to.

However, both Sasuke and Naruto had the tiny problem of not being able to access the things that made them truly powerful. For Sasuke it was his Mangekyou and for Naruto it was the seal. In the original time line he had cracked it in Wave but now that he knew he wasn't about to die, or that Sasuke wasn't really dead, it wouldn't work this time around. It would take something more for the both of them.

Much more.

"Just don't do anything stupid." Sakura sighed, putting the book down.

"You know, I was actually thinking of telling the Hokage this time." Naruto mused.

"Yeah but wouldn't that make you look even more suspicious than stealing the Forbidden Scroll? I mean you are the type to actually go out and fall for Mizuki's ploy, don't look at me like that. You did it once before." Sakura continued. "In short, play the dumbass."

"Yeah, yeah. Man you guys really love reminding me of how much of a dobe I used to be, ne?" Naruto grumbled.

"You make it so easy." Sasuke teased with a smile rarely seen outside of their company.

Naruto wore a lot less orange. Well he planned to stop using the henge of his orange jumpsuit after he became a genin. Sasuke stuck to his Uchiha blue and black, only this time displaying the crest more visibly and more proudly. He had a promise to keep to his father after all. Sakura stuck to her red. She loved that colour and that outfit. No one was going take that away from her, period.

"So I'll see you guys at team assignment." Naruto winked before suddenly disappearing, no clouds, no smoke.

They didn't even want to know what he was up to. It probably involved pranking the shit out of Mizuki.

.0.0.0.

"Kakashi-kun?" Sarutobi looked up in surprise as the silver haired jonin practically bounced into his office.

"He's graduating today~!" Kakashi sang happily, making the ANBU hidden in the room tilt their heads in confusion.

"Actually, Naruto-kun failed, on the bunshin I believe." Sarutobi replied, knowing exactly who Kakashi was talking about. Ever since that incident where Naruto had wandering into the ANBU headquarters, Kakashi hadn't stopped pestering him about the blond.

It was almost comical to see the look of shocked disbelief on Kakashi's face but as it was, Sarutobi distinctly remembered Uchiha Sasuke's words about going where Naruto did and this was troublesome, very troublesome indeed.

"Can't you make some sort of exception? He is a Jinchuriki you know." Kakashi almost whined, regaining the ability to speak.

"People already feel I favour him too much, let him get away with too much. If I simply pass him, I will never hear the end of it." The Sandaime sighed.

Kakashi pouted, like a literal genuine pout worthy of a three year old child and not an elite jonin.

"There will be a retribution." Kakashi's lone visible eye narrowed when the Sandaime ignored his pout and continued with his paperwork as though he wasn't even there in the first place. Kakashi's words were something that he'd heard Naruto mutter once and had quite liked it. So the Sandaime really should have known that something was deeply wrong when he saw his ANBU shudder. But he didn't think much of it, considering Kakashi had been acting slightly out of character – well his public character anyway.

.0.0.0.

As Naruto sat in the clearing, waiting for Iruka and Mizuki to appear, he contemplated the oddness that was Hatake Kakashi. The man had approached him today, very discreetly and had said one sentence, "Someone needs a retribution, make sure it happens."

Then he was gone as though he'd never been there, his parting message the ANBU hand sign for _Hokage_. Naruto wasn't too worried about the details as to why Kakashi thought the Hokage needed a retribution but he was all too happy to oblige.

Just because Naruto couldn't do genjutsu didn't mean he didn't know at least one genjutsu, the only one he'd ever been able to master and it worked hand in hand with his sexy no jutsu.

The Hokage found himself in a world of undignified perverted bliss when Naruto stole the scroll. His pride was going to be stinging from that one for a while. See, all Naruto had to do was perform his Sexy no Jutsu and the ensuing nose bleed was what activated the genjutsu. He thought it was quite genius really.

Now, all he had to do was play the dumb little Academy student that got played by a traitor and then he was home free all the way to Team 7.

They still hadn't really decided what they were going to do about the bell test. He'd suggested they merely wing it and see what Kakashi-sensei did.

Whatever happened, it was sure to be interesting. Sasuke had said something like that some time or other.

Sakura hadn't really had any suggestions merely because she thought playing with the jonin was childish but Naruto and Sasuke both knew that she was just as giddy about the prospect of doing so. She still had a score to settle with him about that first genjutsu. Naruto had a score to settle with that "Never let an enemy get behind you" spiel and Sasuke was still pouting about ending up neck deep buried in the ground.

"Naruto!" The loud angry yell dragged Naruto from his thoughts and he looked up at Iruka-sensei.

The blond grinned happily, seemingly oblivious to the chunin sensei's anger and he saw that anger dim slightly, as though suddenly unsure of the situation he found himself in.

"Iruka-sensei! Are you going to pass me now? Mizuki-sensei said you would. He said that if I learnt a jutsu from the Forbidden Scroll then you'd make me a genin . . ."

Naruto pretty much zoned out as Mizuki showed up and Iruka clicked the pieces together in his mind. This time, Naruto moved_ Iruka_ out of the way of the oncoming kunai, glaring daggers at Mizuki the entire time.

When Mizuki got over his momentary shock, asking Naruto if he wanted to know why everyone hated him, the blond shrugged and replied. "I don't care. It doesn't bother me. As long as I have my precious people, people like Iruka-sensei, then I don't care."

Mizuki was too stunned to reply and Naruto took the opportunity to take him out, using the Kage Bunshin just to show off and not because he expressly had to.

"Naruto?" Iruka stuttered out in confusion, this time having not caught the overly large and obnoxious shuriken in his back. Naruto just couldn't bear to see his favourite sensei suffer through that a second time.

"Being the best is rather over-rated, don't you think? Besides, I really still can't do a Bunshin." Naruto grinned, offering a hand to his stunned sensei who had somehow managed to end up on his backside.

Iruka sensed that this was his third moment of confusing insight into Uzumaki Naruto that he wasn't entirely sure he'd have seen otherwise. Was this Naruto's way of telling him that he was more talented then he'd allowed his records to show?

Either way, Iruka couldn't deny the boy a promotion after that display. So he took the offered hand with a soft smile and gave the boy his own headband in return.

.0.0.0.

Hatake Kakashi skipped his way into the Hokage's office, coolly elbowing those in his way so that he could get to the Hokage's desk first, giggling with a giddy expression on his face the entire time. He purposefully came late so that he missed the Hokage watching the genin in his crystal ball. He didn't know why the old Hokage felt the need to do that. Personally for Kakashi it was too much like spying.

As it was the Hokage had been in the process of talking to his jonin, not even bothering to wait for Kakashi this time seeing as it was about assigning teams. He hadn't sent the call for the silver haired jonin because he'd wanted news of Miuki's betrayal to stay semi-quiet. He had been planning to give Hatake the happy news that sort of wasn't considering the circumstances of Naruto's promotion to genin when everyone else was dealt with.

He really should have known Kakashi would have found out sooner than that.

"Move it Sarutobi!" Kakashi growled, viciously kicking Asuma to the side just as he'd been about to accept three folders from his father.

Kakashi was practically bouncing on the spot as he placed his hands on the front of the Hokage's desk and grinned manically at him as he waited.

"Since when was he so lively?"

"Since when was he early?"

He heard the whispers but he didn't care.

"He passed!" Kakashi nearly growled victoriously, lone visible eye shining brightly.

The Sandaime sighed as he picked up Team 7's files. They were on top seeing as they'd only just arrived themselves. He'd barely held them out to the eager jonin when they were snatched from his grasp.

"You do realise that they have to pass your bell test Hatake. You can't just pass them." The Third felt the need to remind the jonin.

"Pfft, you've just handed me the most bonded team in the village. I don't have to do a thing other than bask in their glory." Kakashi replied with an evil cackle.

"Care to elaborate on that one Kakashi." Asuma growled with a wince as he rubbed his aching side and accepted his own team's files from his father. "I thought your team was the misfits and the ones most predicted to fail."

Kakashi looked up from the files he had been flipping through to look at the other jonin with a wide incredulous eye. "Are you serious?"

"Well yeah, you've got Uzumaki and the simpering fangirl. The only person worth teaching on your entire team is the Uchiha." One of the other jonin replied, misreading Kakashi's mood.

Kakashi burst out laughing. Those poor deluded fools. He'd leave them to suffer in their moronic ignorance.

He couldn't help but wonder if he was the only one that noticed that none of them went to the Academy, that Naruto knew the Shadow Clone jutsu long before he'd stolen the Forbidden Scroll or that the three of them were the ones that had painted the Hokage monument or that they cheated, so to speak, on every test. Was he the only one that noticed that Sakura was faking the fangirlism so hard that it was nearly killing her?

Naruto wasn't the dead last any more than Sasuke was the undisputed Rookie of the year. He'd say the two were easily equal in strength but he wasn't sure just how much above the average genin they actually were.

Those in the room shifted slightly at his decidedly evil cackle, waiting for him to elaborate but he did not.

"This team sure does promise to be interesting, Kakashi-kun and I'm glad to see you're taking such an obvious interest this time." The Sandaime chuckled.

Kakashi merely nodded, continuing to peruse the folders in his hands. Kakashi wasn't exactly thrilled about the Uchiha on his team, he was indifferent towards the Haruno girl but he was absolutely ecstatic to be teaching Naruto.

He couldn't explain it but ever since that night he'd watched the boy having a nightmare, ever since the boy had wandering into ANBU to enquire about his well-being, Kakashi just couldn't ignore him as effectively as he'd been doing before that nightmare. He'd found himself watching the blond from a distance, trying to deduce the extent of his skills and happily failing miserably. Naruto was just impossible to profile.

"Be sure to keep an eye on those three. I have a feeling that they're going to take this village by storm." Sarutobi's eyes were twinkling with an amusement he very rarely showed and it proved to Kakashi that the Hokage was not completely oblivious to the Uzumaki and the Uchiha and their antics, antics they were far too skilled at keeping hidden from the general public.

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Kakashi bowed, tossing the Academy files he'd fought so rudely to get over his shoulder and supressing the snicker when they hit someone on the head. They were completely useless anyway and he only wanted to see if anyone at the Academy had noticed the strange things that he had. They hadn't.

"Hang on, why are you so excited to teach the Uzumaki brat?" Someone had the foolish urge to ask.

Kakashi turned on the jonin before the Sandaime could answer. The only visible part of his face was the smallest patch of skin and one eye, yet that tiny part was actually quite expressive should the jonin choose for it to be. The expression he was giving the other jonin was a cold glare, topped off with the creepiest smile known to the Elemental nations and honestly, Sai and Anko would have been proud. "Are you questioning my cute little student? The one who openly proclaims to be your next boss and so help me, I'm going to make sure he achieves that goal!"

"N-no Hatake-san." The poor jonin stuttered.

"He's not your student yet, Kakashi-kun." Sarutobi sighed, a long-suffering sound as though this was something he and Kakashi often argued about.

Kakashi turned his glare on the Hokage who merely blinked at him.

Kakashi snarled before muttering, "There will be a retribution." disappearing in a Shunshin of leaves. The Hokage, after hearing that proclamation from the Jonin twice in as many days, having already run into a Naruto worthy amount of trouble shortly after the first muttered promise, had the presence of mind to shudder the smallest bit before clearing his throat so he could continue with his meeting.


	5. Chapter 5

**Beta-ed by Jenny-Cat-Miaow.**

**Chapter 5**

Kakashi arrived at the Academy at the same time as all the other jonin sensei but instead went to the trapdoor on the roof. The one that would allow him to sneak into the tiny space just behind the room where the genin were assigned to their sensei and the one that would allow him to see into the classroom and observe his targets. . . preferably without being seen or noticed.

Getting comfortable, the silver haired jonin settled in for a long wait. He was a patient man and he'd be spending his time watching three mysterious little twelve year olds.

Iruka was quite interesting to watch as well, as he handled the situations that arose, from outrage at Naruto's presence to the unruly excitement one of Naruto's pranks caused. When he finally set about to calling out the teams, Kakashi was thoroughly amused with his blond student.

He watched with less amusement as the Uchiha muttered under his breath, something that looked suspiciously like word for word of everything that came out of Iruka-sensei's mouth. Did he sneak into the chunin's things and look over the team assignments? Why would he do that? And for that matter, why learn it off by heart?

Nonetheless he looked appropriately angry or perhaps indifferent at having Naruto and Sakura on his team when Team 7 was announced. Naruto was happy when he heard Sakura's name but pouted when he heard Sasuke's. Sakura was the same, only opposite.

Kakashi had to admit, their acting was some of the best he'd ever had the privilege of witnessing.

But why the need to act in the first place?

"Iruka-sensei! Why does an awesome ninja like me have to be on a team with that teme?!" Naruto demanded angrily. "You know you're my favourite sensei but you're killing me over here."

"Naruto! Out of all the graduates, your scores were the worst while Sasuke's were the best! We placed you two together because it would give the best balance." Iruka explained with a scowl of annoyance, not really in the mood for Naruto's special quirkiness. It was only special because it took a special kind of patience to handle it.

When the students were let out for a break, Sasuke Sakura and Naruto walked out together, Sakura handing Naruto an extra lunch box despite having proclaimed anger at having the blond on her team moments earlier.

Kakashi just couldn't figure them out. He'd heard they were weird but this was taking it to a whole new level. He began to understand that what they showed the world was what they wanted the world to believe of them, to see them as. If they chose to do something a little different such as Sakura giving Naruto some lunch then it was because that is what they wanted the world to see.

What he was able to deduce from this short session was that they wanted the world to see Naruto as loud and obnoxious, overbearing in some instances and generally dense. This was easy to understand as this was what was blatantly obvious when one looked at the blond.

They wanted the world to see Sakura as a book smart fangirl with nothing but Sasuke on her mind, and with hardly enough strength in her twiggish figure to take on a squirrel much less a fellow genin, but he'd seen one of the punches she'd given Naruto, and that had to have hurt . . . no matter the acting involved.

Sasuke was supposed to be this broody loner who didn't care about anything or anyone so long as he was left completely out of it. He also had a slight air of arrogance but with confidence that said he _knew_ he was the best and didn't have to prove himself to anyone there.

That much was easy to deduce, almost laughably so. What wasn't so easy was what was underneath all that? What were they hiding so effectively under those masks and why were they hiding at all? Kakashi knew that he'd only be able to make a positive deduction, an accurate one, by watching and learning more of his mysterious genin team.

.0.0.0.

"So what are we going to do about Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked, leaning his head back as he sat on the grass, resting his upper body weight on his hands.

"Well, I say we give him a run for his money, force him into a state of awareness, one that will indirectly train him." Sasuke grumbled picking at his lunch more than eating it. He'd be done with it before long but he always played with it first.

"But the question to that is how?" Sakura murmured, carefully using her chakra to balance a few pebbles on top of each other. She'd taken to doing mundane things with her chakra because it required such perfect control. She was a medic nin after all so the boys never questioned her about it. They merely accepted it.

"By making him question everything that he knows to be reality." Naruto smirked.

"He is a genius you know, one that might even be greater than Itachi or at the very least close to him. None of us are on that kind of level." Sasuke pointed out.

"Nope, but Shikamaru is, aaaaaand we do have the advantage of surprise." Naruto offered.

"Wouldn't Shikamaru find it suspicious?" Sakura rose a brow.

"Nah, he'd find it too troublesome to investigate and by the time he really actually did anything about it, then it would already be too late because we'd have already succeeded into goading dear old sensei into training with us. He's far too comfortable with the level that he's at right now." Sasuke mused. "So we'll use one genius to take care of another, if we really have to. But we can still try without involving Shikamaru."

"How do you figure?" Naruto asked.

"I won't train until sensei agrees to train with us. I'll say that how can he proclaim to protect us from someone like Itachi, someone who's powerful enough to take out the entire Uchiha clan." Sasuke smirked.

"Think he'll bite?" Sakura asked. "It's also a bit harsh, considering Sensei's past."

"He'll have to. Because I'm going with this one too." Naruto chuckled. "At the very least it'll be interesting to see what he does."

"You know, it's creepy enough to be very nearly the same age, mentally, as Iruka-sensei, let's not add drinking buddies with Kakashi-sensei to the mix." Sakura shivered.

The two boys merely looked at each other before shrugging and focusing their attention on the food that they were supposed to be eating.

When it came time to go back to the class to meet their sensei, Team 7 did not return, knowing full well that Hatake Kakashi was already there and had been since all the other jonin had. They took it as payback for all the times he made them wait.

.0.0.0.

"So Kakashi, what do you think of your team?" Asuma asked, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. He was among a very small handful of people that could get away with not adding a san to Kakashi's name and likewise with Kakashi for the other jonin.

"I don't know. They never came back after that break." Kakashi admitted reluctantly. He absolutely refused to add that he had been unable to find them after he'd decided that five hours of waiting was ridiculous, even for him. "What about your team?"

"The embodiment of their parents. So what are you going to do about your test tomorrow?" Asuma seemed determined to keep this conversation on Kakashi.

Kakashi was one step away from summoning his ninken to find the brats for him but he still had some pride to maintain. This was beginning to look like he'd actually have to get serious to find his genin team.

"I'll find them before the sun sets." Kakashi replied absently, trying to give the impression that he really wasn't bugged, but the problem was, he was uttering infested as far as being 'bugged' went. Hell, he was almost an Aburame.

"Well Kurenai said her team looks promising for tracking. You missed her already. I still think the Hyuga girl needs some confidence boosting though." Asuma chuckled.

"Oh, my team, from what I was able to see, has this odd hate love relationship going for them. The girl has a crush on the Uchiha and hates Uzumaki but Uzumaki has a crush on the girl but hates the Uchiha. The Uchiha does not care for either of them and broods the day away." Whatever game his genin were playing, Kakashi decided that it was worth playing along with them. Besides, he loved surprising people. Not to mention the Hokage knew about their little game as well but he didn't seem to think it was worth raising the alarm over.

"I do not envy you. With that kind of tension they'll never pass the bell test." Asuma whistled.

"We shall see. Which means I should probably find them before the sun sets." Kakashi shrugged before hopping onto a rooftop. He'd only come here to see if any of the other jonin had had any trouble finding their teams but apparently not.

.0.0.0.

"Well so far our 'making-sensei-question-his-own-reality' plan seems to be working. He still hasn't found us." Naruto grinned doing a handstand on the railing of the roof of the Academy.

They themselves had only just arrived, deciding it was time to give their poor sensei a break, at least so that they could get the introductions done.

They waited only ten more minutes for a slightly frazzled looking Hatake Kakashi to pop onto the roof, looking almost relieved to have finally found them.

"So where did you brats go after lunch?" Kakashi asked casually but they knew the man well enough to know that he was burning with curiosity.

"Here." They chorused and by the odd gleam in their soon-to-be-official-sensei's eye, they knew that he didn't believe that but he could not detect a single ounce of dishonesty and he was too prideful and arrogant about his status as a jonin that he didn't consider the possibility that they were in fact lying. He didn't pause to consider the inconsistencies with his own theories.

"Right, so my first impression of you three–" Kakashi began, starting with the same song and dance he went through for all the genin he'd ever been presented with, but he was interrupted and for him, that was definitely a first.

"We don't like you either." Naruto said with a perfectly straight face, blinking slowly, almost lazily.

Not missing a beat, he was a jonin after all, Kakashi continued, "And since we're all already on the roof, why don't you introduce yourselves?"

"Care to go first Hatake-san?" Sakura asked with a raised brow and amusement in her tone so rich that Kakashi got the distinct impression that they were laughing at him. Not to mention the fact that she hadn't called him sensei, almost like she knew about the test still to come. And for that matter, how had they known his name, team announcements maybe? Was it said in the announcements? He didn't think it had been?

"Alright then, my name is Hatake Kakashi. I like a lot of things, I don't like a lot of things, I have too many hobbies to mention and I don't feel like telling you my dreams. Fair enough?" Kakashi asked with a curved eye smile.

"My name is Haruno Sakura. I like a lot of things also. I don't like many things too, one of them being the Yondaime. I have some hobbies and I have a dream or two." She smiled sweetly at him.

Kakashi twitched a little but otherwise he didn't react.

To his surprise Sasuke went next. "My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I don't like. Period. And if I do, you'll certainly never know. I _hate_ the Yondaime. My hobbies are my business and I don't have dreams. I have possible realities to call my own."

Kakashi had to forcefully stop himself from reacting to that one.

Naruto had to be different right?

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto and I like so very many things. I don't like some things but one of the people I don't like is Yondaime. My hobbies are this and that and my dreams are of big things to come." Naruto grinned at him. A large, toothy one and everything.

Kakashi very slowly and rather woodenly uncrossed his arms from his chest before he snapped his fingers, using a jutsu he practically never used to ensure all four of them were suddenly standing in the Hokage's office.

"Ah Kakashi, I see you found your team." Asuma snickered. "And you're late for the meeting but I did tell the Sandaime you were having trouble locating the brats."

Kakashi sent the other jonin a withering glare before turning to his team with a bright, overly cheerful smile and saying, "Please introduce yourself to the Hokage."

"Is he going to introduce himself first?" Sakura asked, that same rich amusement and raised brow.

Kakashi paused so that he could look to their aged leader, not at all caring that he'd technically interrupted a meeting. A meeting he was supposed to be attending but oh well.

Sarutobi chuckled before removing his pipe and looking to the three genin, wondering what Kakashi was on about. "Alright then, my name is Sarutobi Hiruzen and I am the Sandaime Hokage of Konoha. I like a great many things and I dislike only that which displeases me. I have some hobbies and I have already achieved my dream but I suppose I should add that I'd dearly love it if one of you young genin could invent the cure for paperwork."

The three looked to each, almost having a silent conversation before the same introduction from before was given, only they now understood that it came with being an experienced ninja and that as an experienced ninja, they would actually be able to learn a great many things from that seemingly useless introduction. But that would have to come later. At the moment it was introductions. Why hadn't they done this with every new team they had to work with? It was so much fun.

"Honestly Hatake, you haven't even gotten through introductions yet?" Someone sighed but that someone was ignored.

Once again, Sakura began, "My name is Haruno Sakura. I like a lot of things also. I don't like many things too, one of them being the Yondaime. I have some hobbies and I have a dream or two." She smiled sweetly once more.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I don't like. Period. And if I do, you'll certainly never know. I hate the Yondaime. My hobbies are my business and I don't have dreams. I have possible realities to call my own." Sasuke drawled once more, not even changing his tone.

"Hey Jiji, how you been? Long time no see right? Anyways, I guess I should say my introduction huh." Naruto began in a happy chatter that made Kakashi relax very slightly. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto and I like so very many things. I don't like some things but one of the people I don't like is Yondaime. My hobbies are this and that and my dreams are of big things to come." Naruto grinned at him. The same large, toothy one.

"See!" Kakashi suddenly yelled. "I can't teach them! I won't! I refuse. I'm not even going to do tomorrow's test with them. No way! No how! They fail! I don't care about Uchiha and Uzumaki and politics. No NO **NO**!" Kakashi ranted as though the dam had burst.

"I don't get it." Kurenai deadpanned to Asuma who was chuckling. To him it seemed that Team 7 had managed to give Kakashi a taste of his own medicine.

"Well, Kurenai-chan. They all most unyouthfully do not approve of our most valiant Yondaime Hokage." Gai clarified none too quietly. "Kakashi does not appear to like this very much." Understatement much?

"Naruto, I thought the Yondaime was your idol." Sarutobi mused. Inwardly he'd noticed that their introductions were artfully crafted to bring Kakashi grief, in a way that only children could, mocking his usual introduction. This could have been accidently or intentionally. Or their introductions could have been the perfect jonin ninja introduction, in which everything was told in a few simple sentences of nothing. And that was worrying because they were supposed to be genin.

"He is." Naruto quipped with a grin. "But he's still a teme."

Kakashi was by now near having a heart attack.

"How can you say that!?" Kakashi asked, very nearly shaking the boy. He couldn't add 'How can you say that about your own father' now could he?

"Is there something wrong with my introduction?" Naruto asked in confusion. He paused to think for a moment. "If you feel that strongly about it Hatake-san then I amend my previous introduction to I like Namikaze Minato but I do not like the Yondaime."

"I second that." Sasuke smirked.

"I third." Sakura added with a smile.

"Is there a difference?" Sarutobi asked, far too amused in Kakashi's opinion.

"Definitely." They answered in unison.

"And why don't you like the Yondaime?" Asuma asked, merely to poke at Kakashi's buttons.

"Because he died." Naruto replied with a shrug while Sasuke and Sakura nodded their agreement. Only they understood that in dying, the Yondaime had become eligible for edo tensei and in so doing, he'd been able to perform ANY jutsu he wanted. And it was the jutsu that he had performed that had Team 7 very much wishing they could cheerfully pulverise their Yondaime. But Kakashi didn't know that.

Kakashi paused in his hyperventilating meltdown moment to blink at the three before tilting his head in a considering fashion.

"Oh, in that case. Never mind Sarutobi-sama. I'll just be taking these three so that I can go over tomorrow's schedule." Kakashi grinned airily, waving a hand in the air as though the whole thing was really no big deal.

He snapped his fingers and they were on the roof top once again.

"Now normally I'd give you all this little intimidating speech about failure rates and extra tests but I'm going to skip all that and go straight for something else." Kakashi began, his voice growing low and slightly sadistic. Not good, not good at all. "Tomorrow I'm going to be running your little genin butts through a survival training exercise. So it's my suggestion that you all get in a nice hearty breakfast because I'm going to be coming after you, and I'm going to be coming after you hard. So make your way down to training ground 7 in the morning. You better not be late either."

The three gulped somehow finding this slightly wounded pride version of Kakashi a lot more intimidating than his first speech about genin survival tests had been. What was more, he was actually telling them to eat something. Was he even still going to do the bell test?

What had they unleashed upon this poor unsuspecting world?

Perhaps insulting the man's precious person was not the greatest why to get him into the training spirit.

He was sure as hell taking this job more seriously however so they couldn't deny that it had worked. Not to mention, he was probably going to be taking them more seriously as well, rather than slacking so much as he had the first time around. Then there was the fact that he had to realise somewhere in that porn addled mind of his that they were merely genin, supposedly, so he wouldn't go all that hard on them, would he?

This was Kakashi so one could never really be too sure.

With one last evil cackle of delight Kakashi was gone in a swirl of leaves where he reappeared in the Hokage's office with a cheerful eye smile at the waiting Sandaime.

"I like them. I think we're going to have a lot of fun together."

And all those in the room that understood exactly what Kakashi's idea of fun was, shuddered in fear and pity for those poor unknowing genin.

.0.0.0.

Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto sat huddled together in the blonde's apartment.

Said blond had hysterically proclaimed that Kakashi just might try something while they were sleeping and had demanded that they stick together.

"Strength in numbers!" He'd argued when Sasuke had called him ridiculous.

"Seriously Naruto? This is Kakashi-sensei we're talking about." Sakura huffed.

"Oh yeah?" Naruto pouted. "This is the same man who uses the Thousand Years of Death technique." He'd reminded them with a deathly pale expression. That particular lesson was one that Naruto always tried to shove down to the far corners of his mind never to be reflected upon but in moments of weakness it would appear once again. "And we were ballsy enough to insult his most precious person."

That, however, was reason enough for the other two genin who froze mid-step in the act of leaving Naruto to his imagined fate. Sasuke spun around and wrapped an arm around Naruto's left as Sakura grabbed his right.

"What was it that you were saying dobe? Strength in numbers?" Sasuke began in a nervous tone, eyes shifting this way and that.

"Never could have said it better myself." Sakura agreed with a chuckle just as nervous as Sasuke's tone.

They'd barricaded themselves in Naruto's apartment and that's where they were sticking till morning. The only stops they'd made where to get a change of clothes for the teammates sleeping over and to get some dinner via Ichiraku takeout.

None of them slept a wink the entire night, jumping at every shadow and every noise with small eeps of fear.

.0.0.0.

By the time morning rolled around, Naruto's apartment was completely empty. All three genin had decided that it just wasn't safe enough after a mouse had managed to wiggled its way through their hastily set up defences and they decided that if a mouse could get through, so could a ninja.

Kakashi arrived at the specified training ground bright and early, humming happily to himself as he expected to see three yawning genin already there to greet him.

When he stepped into the clearing with the three tree stumps he frowned when he didn't see three yawning genin.

Was this because one of them had heard he was notoriously late to everything and they'd decided to chance it by arriving late themselves? He couldn't really fault them there but it was extremely poor ninja-ship on their part to assume he'd always be late.

Mentally calculating his usual tardiness limit, Kakashi settled in to wait for the brats before he went out to search for them.

He had no doubt that they'd pass his test because their teamwork, while subtle, was beyond his tutelage. They had already formed bonds so deep that he'd be hard pressed to find their equal. They also seemed to have an uncanny knack of knowing things they shouldn't. So they probably knew about the bell test anyway.

So it's only purpose would be to see just how skilled they were.

Now if only they'd show up to take the damn test. . .

.0.0.0.

Five hours later, again, found Hatake Kakashi entering the Jonin standby station in utter confusion.

His not-so-cute-right-now little genin were nowhere to be seen. So he'd summoned Pakkun, his pride taking several hits because of it and asked the pug to help him find his team.

"Ah Kakashi, so did they pass your infamous test?" Asuma asked in amusement as he spotted the bewildered jonin entering the station.

"I don't know. I haven't tested them yet because they never showed up. At first I thought I might have forgotten to mention which training ground to meet in but it's not that because I distinctly remember telling them not to be late getting there." Kakashi replied, scratching the side of his head.

"But then they didn't show up for five hours and so I decided that no, they weren't punishing me for my tardiness and were in fact not coming at all so now _I'm looking for them _and this is where I ended up." Kakashi finished with a frustrated sigh.

"Wow Hatake-san. You must be really slipping if three Academy graduates can pull the wool over your eyes." One of the other jonin joked.

Kakashi ignored him as he went about looking for his students. Apparently they were in here but not one of the jonin lazing about had seen them. How strange. But it did prove that Kakashi wasn't the only one.

A soft, barely perceptible mumbling could be heard just under the quiet din of conversation in the room. Kakashi focused on it, following it to the storage units he'd never bothered to use. He didn't even know what they were for.

The closer he got the louder it was for him and he began to pick out some phrases, disturbing phrases.

"I is a good Naruto, good, good Naruto. No more Yondaime for Naruto. No, Naruto is too good for that. No vengeful Inu's and no experimenting Yondaime's because I is a good, good Naruto."

"Yes, Naruto is a very good boy. No Yondaime for you or me. But me thinks vengeful Inu's just might be on the list of today's punishments for past crimes. Sasuke must have been a very bad boy. Bad Sasuke."

A slightly higher pitched whimper announced the presence of his third missing genin and Kakashi mentally paused to digest what he'd heard. Deciding that it wasn't worth the possible insanity, he pulled open the unit he heard the mumbles coming from only to be greeted with the sight of three sleep deprived genin holding their knees and rocking back and forth ever so slightly. Somehow they'd managed to cram themselves into the unit that looked more like an overly large cupboard to Kakashi.

They looked terrible, exhausted and absolutely frightened of _something_.

When those large black ringed fear filled eyes landed on him, they screamed in pure terror before making a mad scrambling dash for the door, all the while screaming their little genin heads off.

Even Sasuke.

Kakashi blinked in stunned amazement as his genin team panicked around him. The jonin in the room grew utterly quiet yet not a single one of them made a move to capture the rampant batshit crazy little genin.

"Inu's attacking!" Sasuke screamed.

"Run for your lives and protect your rears!" Naruto yelled, hands interestingly moving to his behind, while he ran around in a circle like a puppy chasing its tail.

"Ahhhhhhh! No more genjutsu, no no no no no!" Sakura wailed, falling to the ground as tears streamed down her face.

"Kakashi, what the hell did you do to them?" Asuma asked, just as shocked as Kakashi was.

Kakashi shook his head and took a small step away from the storage unit they'd taken to hiding within.

Wrong thing to do as all three froze immediately before bolting out the door screaming about crazy ninja out for revenge.

"Uh, I think they took my advice of getting a healthy breakfast the wrong way?" Kakashi stammered.

"Wait? Don't you usually tell the genin not to eat breakfast?" Kurenai asked in confusion.

"Yeah, but I actually wanted to pass these three." Kakashi slumped down in devastated defeat.

The deafening silence of the room was punctuated yet again as the three came scrambling back into the room, screaming about alien ninja before they had the presence of mind to henge themselves into small furry creatures and launch like little cannons onto Kakashi and burrow themselves into his jonin vest.

The three little lumps that were supposed to be his students were visibly quivering and the silver haired jonin awkwardly patted them with an even more awkwardly stated. "There, there."

"Yosh! My eternal rival, was that your three youthful genin I saw but a moment ago?" Gai asked loudly as he popped his head into the jonin standby station. He blinked at Kakashi for a moment from the doorway before approaching cautiously. "Has my Eternal Rival most unyouthfully allowed himself to over indulge in the splendid wonders of our most amazing village and to put it as cool and hip and my Eternal Rival would, gained weight?"

It was all Kakashi could do to keep up with the man's question. He noticed that the quivering of his students had stopped and they'd grown more and more still the closer Gai had come.

Alien ninja . . . . .

A slow smile crept into place on Kakashi's features as he took in the afternoon's events. Soon enough, the silver haired jonin was laughing. Not a small chuckle as he was prone to allowing himself but rather a full blown laugh with tears rolling down his cheeks and everything.

"I'll see you around Gai. I've got to go get rid of my extra weight." Kakashi managed to gasp between chuckles before he shunshined away from the room and into his apartment.

He hardly brought fellow jonin to his apartment so those brats better be worth it.

Slowly the three furry students scurried out from under his jacket, popping out by his neck. To say he was slightly disturbed by the action would be an understatement but at least he knew the brats were creative.

The little furry students looked around his apartment before hopping off his shoulder and to the floor, releasing the henge upon landing.

"Is he gone?" Naruto breathed out cautiously.

"Who, Gai?" Kakashi asked just to see if they'd truly been running from Gai just moments after running from him.

"If by 'Gai' you mean the creepy spandex wearing alien, then yes 'Gai'." Sakura clarified with a wide eyed nod.

Kakashi allowed himself an amused chuckle before continuing with the conversation. "Yes, I left him at the Standby Station. Where I found you three when you were supposed to be having a survival test with me."

They froze, eyes twitching and looking just about ready to bolt for the nearest exit.

"Relax, relax. I've already decided to pass you." Kakashi added hastily, not really ready for another round of whatever that was.

"No Thousand Years of Death?" Naruto whispered.

"No genjutsu?" Sakura asked fearfully.

"No getting buried alive?" Sasuke whimpered.

"No, no and uh no." Kakashi answered with a confused frown.

"So, we're really, really genin now and you're our sensei?" Sakura asked tilting her head to the side.

"Yes. We begin missions tomorrow but there's something I want to show you three before the end of today . . ." Kakashi began to explain when he trailed off, growing silent as the three clutched each other like a lifeline, dramatic tears rolling down their faces.

It would have been cute if not for the looks of utter pain on their features.

"What?" Kakashi asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

"D-ranks!" They wailed in unison, the flow of tears increasing.

Kakashi sighed and hung his head in defeat. He had to agree with the brats on that account but he didn't make the rules. He still planned to show them the memorial stone before the day was out so, devastated genin or not, he snapped his fingers and they were instantly standing by the memorial stone.

"I know you guys have some amazing teamwork going for you and I'll test you tomorrow or something merely to see what kind of skill you guys have but for now I want you to think about this and take it to heart." Kakashi began in a sombre tone and the three were immediately paying attention as though they hadn't just been crying their little genin hearts out.

"These names represent all those in Konoha who have died for the village while on a mission. It's the KIA Memorial Stone. One of the names on this stone, one of the people that gave their live for this village, taught me something very important and I want to teach it to you as well. Those who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash." Kakashi explained quietly.

"Hai, Kaka-sensei." They said in unison before smiling soft genuine smiles at him.

Kakashi smiled back but he couldn't help but notice the slightly saddened look those young faces had held in eyes far too old.

.0.0.0.

The four of them sat around a tree as they watched the sun sink under the horizon. Kakashi's bell test was almost completely forgotten but the jonin figured there was always tomorrow and if they didn't show up, again, then he was going to put leashes on them and stick to their asses like ninja glue until they had that fricken test.

But for now, they were very nearly falling asleep against his shoulder, Naruto possibly already gone with the other two not far behind.

"So," Kakashi began quietly, as though anything louder would break the mood. "Want to tell me about this morning?"

Sasuke shifted slightly before blinking sleepily. "Naruto came to the realisation that we'd just insulted the Yondaime and that you might take offense to that. He also heard from a friend of a friend of a friend of a . . . . Something else that goes there, anyways he'd heard that you're a master at the Thousand Years of Death technique. He had a bad experience with it once so he wasn't too eager to do it again." Sasuke explain with a yawn.

"I see." Kakashi replied but he really didn't. Oh well, he had them as his team now and there was very little you could keep hidden when you had to spend that much time with someone.

Looking up, he saw the eagle that announced the jonin meeting. He looked down at his sleeping genin before sighing very softly and clicking his fingers. The three of them only shifted the slightest bit as they appeared in Kakashi's apartment and on top of his shuriken patterned bed spread.

Kakashi carefully tried to extract himself from the tangle of people they'd become. He was somewhat touched that they trusted him so immediately as to fall asleep around him. They were only genin but this was Naruto and Sasuke after all, two people who had every right not to trust anyone at all.

His heart did a sort of languid somersault when he noticed that Naruto's fingers were curled on his shirt sleeve, much the same way as they'd been curled on his shirt when Naruto was five. At least this time, he wasn't whimpering in his sleep.

Moving Naruto's hand onto Sasuke's shirt instead Kakashi gave the three on his bed one last look before shunshining out of his apartment and into the Hokage's office. He really was making a habit of being earlier and earlier wasn't he? Oh well, it wouldn't last. They shouldn't get used to it.

"Ah Kakashi-kun, what a surprise to see you here so early." The Hokage greeted cheerfully.

"Maa, the brats fell asleep on me." Kakashi shrugged. "I had nothing better to do." His answer for once, had an air of truth about it which surprised those present.

"Oh, and out of curiosity's sake, how did they do in your test?" Sarutobi asked with a puff on his pipe.

Kakashi felt the gaze of every jonin in the roof and shifted at the uncomfortable weight that settled on his shoulders. Couldn't people just ignore him for the most part and be done with it?

"I don't know, I didn't test them." Kakashi replied with a smile.

"This is bad tact, even for you Hatake-san." One jonin muttered in irritation. "First you can't find them, then their introductions are unsatisfactory and now you haven't even tested them."

"Oh, I passed them, I just haven't tested them. I passed them because they rather skilfully evaded my every attempt _to_ test them." Kakashi's eye smile widened but inwardly he was not impressed with his fellow jonin.

After all, his brats had been in the standby station for an undetermined amount of time and none of them had even noticed. How pitiful.

"Did they somehow know about your test?" Asuma asked with a slight frown.

"Don't know." Kakashi answered cheerfully. "But Naruto seemed to be concerned about Thousand Years of Death techniques, Sasuke seemed to be concerned about being buried and Sakura seemed concerned about genjutsu." Kakashi elaborated with an even brighter tone.

"Aren't those the techniques you usually use with these tests?" Gai asked surprisingly quietly and with a measure of normalcy.

"Hai."

"So you passed them . . . because they didn't take your test?" Kurenai tilted her head with a small frown of confusion.

Kakashi sighed before looking to the Hokage to help him out. The old man chuckled before addressing all the jonin as a whole. "What Kakashi-kun is trying to say is that he likes them all enough to sit with them long enough with or without teamwork, to drill said teamwork into them. Also, he finds them interesting enough to actually consider them his team. Does that clear things up for everyone?"

"But why them? Why Naruto?" One jonin asked, remembering Kakashi's unusual excitement at getting to teach the Uzumaki boy.

Instead of telling the jonin in the room that his little genin were not what they seemed Kakashi merely widened his smile and said in a deadpan tone. "Why the hell not?"

These were his genin and training them was his decision. He didn't care what anyone else thought. If they had an issue with it, so what. His team, his problem so they could all kindly bugger off. He didn't have to explain himself to them. His reasons were his and his alone.

Besides, his brats were playing a game with the Shinobi of Konoha at large and Kakashi was happy to play along with them. Perhaps he'd earn enough of their trust for them to actually tell him the truth of what was going on.

For the time being it was D-ranks and genin pay checks.

Stuffing his hands into his pocket Kakashi found to his confusion that there was a piece of paper in his pocket, one that he didn't remember putting in there. Pulling it out and opening it, the poor jonin couldn't help but laugh.

He could only assume it was Naruto's messy scrawl because the paper said the following. "_I know the Old Man is somewhat important but all you're going to be talking about is the teams that passed. Here, let me clear up some time for you. Team 7, Team 8 and Team 10 are the only ones that passed so use that extra time to go get us some dinner. Ichiraku Ramen is preferable._"

"Yes sir." Kakashi chuckled before waving to the Hokage and stating cheerfully. "I have orders from three hungry genin so I'll be leaving now. Asuma-san and Kurenai-san can meet up with me later to co-ordinate some team training." Then he was walking out the door, doing so simply because they had expected him to shunshin and it was nice to keep them on their toes.

"How did he know? We hadn't even got to that part yet!"

"Well he is Sharingan no Kakashi. I wouldn't be surprised if he knew everything." Someone grumbled back, sounding a little putout.

Kakashi found that he didn't care one iota.

.0.0.0.


	6. Chapter 6

**Beta-ed by Jenny-Cat-Miaow.**

**Chapter 6**

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura looked up at Kakashi very, very innocently. The Jonin couldn't help but wonder just what the hell it was that they were up to, but he had no proof so there wasn't much he could really do about it.

As it was he was standing in training ground 7, finally about to give the brats their survival test.

He grinned at them and they smiled back. Somehow that was so much creepier than it had any right to be, in that the smiles were all identical. He moved a hand to his pouch, intent on bringing out the bells merely for the sake of having an objective to give the brats, when several arriving presences made him pause.

By the slight stiffening of his students, he figured they'd sensed it as well.

He recognised some of his ANBU subordinates and some of the other jonin amongst the new additions to his test and wondered what the hell they were doing here.

Naruto leaned over to Sasuke and whispered just loud enough for both Kakashi and the other genin to hear. "Is it just me, or is that Jiji over there?"

Kakashi didn't dare turn to look in the direction his blond student had indicated. Having his ANBU peers here was bad enough. What the hell was the Hokage doing here too? His students weren't that interesting.

Then again . . . . . perhaps they were.

"Alright my cute little genin. Today we're going to assess your talents since I know those Academy reports of yours are bogus." Kakashi began with a cheerful smile.

All the three of them did was look at each other, silently communicating something before looking back to him with the same eye smile as his own, only he could see both of their eyes. Once again it was creepier than it had any right to be.

"What I want you three to do is try and get these bells from me," He paused so that he could hold up said bells and he was almost certain they nearly rolled their eyes. Naruto leaned over to Sasuke and said with a definite grumble something that sounded a lot like "Just be glad you've only done this once before." But Kakashi couldn't be sure. "Come at me with all you've got and you have until noon, kay?" Kakashi added.

"Are you sure you want to give us so much time?" Sasuke asked but Naruto not so discreetly elbowed him.

"So we begin when you say we begin?" Naruto asked, scrunching his nose and Kakashi nodded.

"Just before you do that Kakashi-sensei, we need to quickly discuss something." Sakura interrupted before pulling out a pack of ninja cards. They weren't any different from normal playing cards, they were just far more resilient and designed to be jutsu proof. Also they had pictures instead of numbers.

Kakashi blinked as the girl expertly shuffled the cards using her _chakra_, balancing them between her palms as she did so. The cards were then divided into four equal stacks which were then handed to each person, including Kakashi.

"Ah, what are these for?" Kakashi felt compelled to ask.

"Whenever we want to make a decision, we play." Naruto explained as though it were obvious.

"Hai, hai." Sasuke said with a happy nod. "We have four options available to us and you're going to represent one of them since rock paper scissors has no clear winner since paper does NOT beat rock and coins only have two sides. So we play."

What the hell was there to make a decision on? Not to mention a decision that had _four_ options. Kakashi couldn't help but shake his head but he chose to oblige the three if only for the pleasure of making those eager to see what his genin did wait a little longer.

"So what are the rules of the game?" Kakashi asked.

"Flip a card in the air. If two or more happen to have the same picture then you call it. The quickest to call it wins. If there is no clear winner, we flip another card." Sakura explained.

"Am I at least allowed to know what we're playing for?" Kakashi rose a brow and the three looked to each other before looking back at him with wide grins and a chorus of "Nah."

Kakashi had no choice but to play along. He could only hope that he won, not that he even knew what his participation represented.

Sakura snickered before flipping a card, Naruto and Sasuke doing it at the exact same time. Kakashi was only a second behind. Naruto was playing for the option of running again, hiding for the rest of the day from their lazy sensei. Sasuke represented the option of kicking Kakashi's ass. Sakura represented the option of playing nice while Kakashi-sensei represented a little of all three while also taking care of their audience.

Naturally, Sasuke rather hoped that he won the game.

"Called it!" Sasuke and Naruto yelled at the same time when two shuriken cards came face up.

Kakashi was beginning to note that this game was excellent for two things: reflexes and snap observation.

"Go again." Sakura decided.

Seven more cards from each of them were flipped before another pair of duplicates presented themselves. This time Kakashi was ready and he stated rather lazily, "Called it."

Naruto blinked sleepily and Sakura growled in annoyance before Sasuke outright tossed his cards into the air and leapt at Kakashi with a cry of war on his lips.

"Genjutsu is cheating!" he yelled trying to punch Kakashi who dodged easily enough.

"We're ninja. There's no such thing as cheating, only outsmarting your opponent. So, what exactly did I win?" Kakashi asked with a smile that only served to infuriate the Uchiha more.

He had learned from that little encounter that Naruto was completely useless in the face of genjutsu, Sasuke was the fastest to recognise it but Sakura was the fastest to release it and took it upon herself to release Naruto from its hold as well.

"Unfortunately, he's right Sasuke-teme." Naruto frowned, grabbing the Uchiha's arm. "So it looks like it's option four for us." He added with a smile that made Kakashi shiver.

"Now let's see, attack plan 7 sound alright?" Sakura mused out loud, while the boys nodded.

"Now, you can say begin, Kaka-sensei." Naruto grinned at the silver haired jonin who was pouting at being left out of their plan.

"Begin?" Somehow he felt that this little test had started ages ago.

Sakura and Naruto took off into the trees while Sasuke immediately went into the attack. A blow powerful enough to rattle his bones was blocked by his forearm and Kakashi very nearly whimpered.

"You should have let Sakura win." Sasuke informed him with a feral grin before aiming a kick for his head.

"Oh, and why's that?" Kakashi asked as he ducked.

"Her option was to play nice." Sasuke answered as he stopped his momentum with the heel of his palm and twisted so that he could try and sweep the jonin's legs from under him.

"But, dear little Sasuke-kun, I don't want you to play nice. I want you to show me what you've got. I want you to give me the best that you can give." Kakashi answered as he stopped the sweep with his hand.

Sasuke disappeared in a shunshin and appeared behind the jonin, elbow moving to his ribs. Kakashi's hand stopped the elbow and the two were locked in a short stalemate, but only so that Sasuke could whisper, "If we did that, Kaka-sensei, then you'd already be defeated. Naruto alone holds the power to do that."

Kakashi couldn't question the boy further on the meaning behind the whispered words because the boy was suddenly gone. He couldn't help the smirk. Uchiha Itachi's little brother was turning out to be just as interesting as he'd been, if not more so.

As for what Sasuke had said, he had no doubt that in stamina and raw power Naruto far surpassed him, given his Uzumaki heritage and his Jinchuriki status. It would all come down to who was better prepared for this little scuffle. Still, that lshort spar had him wondering if his genin, truly were merely little genin. Those moves had been too practiced too precise. No matter the skill level of a genius, there were still flaws instilled in their technique due to sheer lack of time and experience. Sasuke's habits while fighting spoke of a Shinobi far older than what he was and that was something interesting to consider.

He wondered what the other two were up to but the slightest of chakra hazes in the air surrounding the trees informed him that there was a genjutsu surrounding the clearing. He had to wonder who it was that was under the genjutsu, himself, or those watching?

Feeling no unnatural effect upon his own mind and body, Kakashi had to conclude that the genjutsu was placed on those watching.

His genin were playing a dangerous game and for some reason, they were allowing Kakashi to play with them. Why was that?

He had no delusion about their skill and he knew without a doubt that they could fool him just as surely as they were fooling all those around them. Yet they had chosen to show him what they hid from everyone else. At the very least, they'd chosen to show him that they were in fact hiding something in the first place.

He could only hope that this secret of theirs, whatever it was, wasn't something that could potentially harm Konoha and her people.

Kakashi waited in the clearing for the three to enact whatever attack plan 7 was. He hoped it didn't involve anything explosive. That would serious put a damper on his day. He hadn't done his laundry yet.

Naruto and Sakura bit their lips to hold back the snickers as they snuck in and out of the trees as quietly as they could. The genjutsu appeared to be working but it would only last for so long before others began to notice it. But that was ohkay, they were almost done anyway.

Slipping the last piece of chakra wire around the last jonin's ankle, Naruto carefully backed away and the two of them, Sakura the one maintaining the majority of the genjutsu that was feeding off of Naruto's chakra, and Naruto the one that had been laying the trap, went to find Sasuke.

All he'd really had to do was distract their sensei for the smallest of minutes and Sasuke was more than capable of doing that. The question wasn't whether he'd manage to do that, it was more of a question if he'd give away too much. Sasuke was really itching to test his strength against the jonin but that would mean telling the jonin more than what they'd let him see thus far and they weren't quite ready for that yet.

They found the Uchiha in a smaller clearing, not far from the one Kakashi-sensei was currently waiting in and they took note of the smug expression on his features. He was leaning against a tree, arms crossed over his chest and those dark eyes were twinkling with a dark amusement.

"Did you know, this is roughly the same spot Kakashi-sensei buried me in last time around?" he asked casually.

"What? Thoughts of revenge?" Naruto replied with a raised brow and a hint of amusement.

"Later, for now, we need to take care of the intruders." Sasuke grinned holding out his hand so that he could take the seal Naruto handed to him. Sasuke then shunshined into the clearing with Kakashi still waiting patiently within it.

"Sensei, I don't suppose I could ask you to demonstrate a doton jutsu? Perhaps a pillar or something." Sasuke asked innocently.

Kakashi was immediately suspicious. What did the brat need a pillar for?

"Yeah, sensei, please?" Naruto asked with wide eyes and a tiny pout, shunshining in next to Sasuke. The blond was a little peeved that Sasuke had decided to ask Kakashi-sensei to do something that Sakura already could and not to mention that there were plenty of trees in the surrounding area that would do that same thing. But oh well. The Uchiha had made up his mind.

Kakashi shrugged before obliging the wide eyed genin and creating the requested pillar. Sasuke grinned before jumping on top of it and slapping a seal at the very top. What surprised Kakashi was the fact that Naruto was the one to activate the seal. Both of them sprang back the moment he did, Naruto pulling Kakashi with him as he did so.

The three of them ended up standing next to Sakura who whistled in appreciation at the pillar. "Nice pillar, sensei. Too bad about that boulder."

"What boulder?" Kakashi asked, almost afraid at what the answer might be.

But at that moment a large boulder puffed into existence, squishing his measly pillar of earth in comparison in a blink of an eye. The four of them coughed around the dust that tainted the air while Naruto waved a hand to try and dissipate it.

"Man, Naruto you really need to work on the gravity part." Sasuke complained. "It wasn't supposed to be that heavy."

Multiple shouts of indignation caught their attention and Kakashi noticed that the genjutsu was no longer hazing around the edges of the clearing. Whatever its purpose had been it appeared that the genin had accomplished it.

What was most amusing however, were the jonin and ANBU hanging upside down, suspended in the air by their ankles. They were swinging around violently as they tried to cut themselves loose. The only one that hadn't been targeted was the chuckling Hokage.

"So that boulder was connected to the chakra wire you placed on their ankles, eh Naruto-kun?" Sarutobi asked, the amusement clear in his tone.

"Hai, hai." Naruto nodded happily. "We noticed that Kaka-sensei didn't seem to like the audience so we decided to have fun with them. Well that all depended on who won the game and since Kaka-sensei did, we had to take care of them first before we could get Kaka-sensei's bells." Naruto explained with a large childish grin.

"Which Sasuke already did during their spar." Sakura added while Sasuke casually held up two jingling bells.

"Huh? Since when?" Kakashi asked looking a little lost.

"Since my cousin was Shunshin no Shisui but he was also known to the Uchiha as Suri no Shisui. He may or may not have taught me a few things before his untimely demise." Sasuke shrugged. Suri no Shisui, meaning the Pickpocket. Just because he was a genius and mostly dignified didn't mean Shisui was above using his Shunshin talents to get things that didn't always belong to him.

"When are you three going to take my test seriously?" Kakashi almost wailed. They blinked at each other before Naruto shrugged and replied. "We're ninja Kaka-sensei. We're supposed to be underhanded and sneaky."

"Tricks and traps. Ah, an art in that of itself." Sasuke sighed jingling the bells lovingly. "Deception is something that needs to be refined down to perfection when one plans to make his career of killing and not being killed in turn. A ninja can never stop training, no matter how trivial the task of the day is."

"Where the hell did he learn that?" Kakashi asked, not really expecting an answer.

"He was reading some stupid books he found in Itachi-kun's room." Sakura replied anyway and rolled her eyes. "Apparently, being a flashy show off kind of ninja is the wrong way to go about it. I don't know why he took it all to heart when they were a bunch of fantasy novels."

"Oh, so does this mean I'm never going to get a serious test out of you three?" Kakashi asked, looking like a child who'd heard Christmas was cancelled. He ignored the kun attached to a wanted S-rank missing nin's name.

"Maybe one day when you can keep up with us." Sasuke smirked. "You're not too far off but you've gotten lazy Kakashi-sensei. How in Kami's name do you expect us to listen to you when you can't even protect us from our enemies?" Sasuke's tone had grown serious now, no longer smiling at the jonin who blinked at the Uchiha questioningly.

"You don't have enemies, Sasuke. Not yet." Kakashi stated quietly.

"Itachi." Sasuke replied simply. "Can you assure me that you can beat my brother should he ever come back, looking to finish what he started?"

Kakashi stiffened slightly when he processed those words. _Could_ he actually defeat Itachi?

"I'd certainly try my very best." Kakashi replied in a very small tone after a moment of silent contemplation.

"Not good enough sensei. We decided that unless you're training with us, we're not listening to a word you say. After all, how do we know that you're not telling us to do it so that you can get rid of us and you can go back to doing whatever it is that you did before we entered the picture?" Naruto interrupted with a shake of his head. It made his heart ache when he thought of the harshness of his words but they were doing this for the jonin's own good. "How do we know that the exercises are any good at all? If you're doing them with us, then we have no choice but to believe you."

The three genin gazed at him with the most solemn expressions he'd ever seen and he could hardly believe that they were on the faces of _children_.

"Those who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash." Sakura stated quietly. "We're a team, Kakashi-sensei and we won't abandon you. Not now, not on our first dangerous mission, not ever."

"I need time to think." Kakashi eventually managed to splutter out. He couldn't believe the emotional chord these three had struck within him. It was one thing to be hiding their true skill from the village Shinobi, but it was another thing entirely to see that skill as they used what they had gathered about the jonin in their short meetings together thus far.

The three nodded before Sasuke walked over to him and lifted his limp hand, placing the softly jingling bells within them before closing the jonin's fingers over them. They waved with soft smiles before shunshining away in a swirl of leaves.

The Hokage approached the silver haired jonin slowly. He placed a hand on the jonin's shoulder and squeezed gently. "They don't let just anyone in on the secret of how talented they truly are, Kakashi-kun. Don't let it be a miss placed trust. I believe in all their young lives there has only ever been one other and that was Umino Iruka."

The silver haired jonin nodded, not trusting himself to speak before he too disappeared from the clearing.

The Hokage chuckled, puffing on his pipe. Those four were good for each other.

Now, if only Naruto-kun had left the solution for deactivating that boulder trap. Those ANBU were starting to look a little dizzy.

.0.0.0.

Sakura was smiling and laughing, talking to her father who had never progressed further than that of a genin. Naruto watched from a distance, wondering if he should interrupt. He knew that Sasuke and himself had been taking Sakura away from her parents more than what was really necessary.

She was the only one with family aside from Team 7 and it was hardly fair to ask her to step away from it merely because Sasuke and Naruto couldn't be considerate enough to remember that. She would gladly follow them without question but that didn't mean she never looked back and thought about those they were leaving behind.

So Naruto backed away before she could see him and decided to find something else to do to occupy his time.

He found himself wandering the streets of Konoha, thoughts not really on any particular topic as he hummed to himself. He wondered what Sasuke was up to but he knew that sometimes, as great a team as they were, they all needed some time to themselves.

Naruto wasn't so far lost in his own thoughts that he didn't notice that he was being watched and not just by the usual populace of Konoha. _Those eyes_ were ever-present but there was something more this time. Was it Danzou and his ROOT?

Possibly.

Could be Orochimaru's spies for all he knew. Could even be Akatsuki.

It could even be the normal ANBU doing something for the Old Man Hokage. Either way, Naruto didn't react, didn't show that he noticed.

Naruto just kept walking right on into Ichiraku Ramen, greeting Ayame with his usual enthusiasm as he ordered a bowl of miso ramen.

.0.0.0.

Kakashi found himself sitting in Tenzou's ANBU room, waiting for the other to return from a mission. He didn't know when that would be, how long it would take but he felt that he needed the quiet ANBU's guidance.

Gai was great and all, but he would proclaim, without much thought, that Kakashi should embrace this 'youthful' opportunity with all his 'youthful' enthusiasm and just roll with it with the 'hip' and 'cool' attitude that he used in everything.

He wished it was that easy.

He glanced up as the door opened, not really having expected Tenzou so soon. It had been hours since that test, a test where he felt like he had been the one they were testing rather than the other way around.

"Kakashi-senpai?"

"Tenzou-Kohai." Kakashi greeted.

"I heard that your test didn't go very well." Tenzou began, shifting slightly as though not quite sure whether to keep standing or to move to the bed where Kakashi had seated himself.

So Tenzou hadn't been on a mission, perhaps he'd been training then.

"Ah, I wouldn't say that. But it didn't go as planned either." Kakashi replied with a soft smile that did not reach his eyes.

"What is it that you want to talk about senpai?" Tenzou's tone had softened, realising that Kakashi wasn't here for a social visit.

"They're so different. Everything they do . . . I just can't figure them out. Usually there's always one, if any, in a genin team that has that little something that makes them standout either in a good way or a bad way." Kakashi began with a sigh, running a hand through his hair. "But these three, they all have _a lot_ of that something. Thing is, I don't know if it's a good thing or if it's a bad thing." Kakashi ended, a deep, distant frown accompanying his words.

"Senpai, have you not wanted to teach Naruto-kun for years now?" Tenzou asked, moving to the bed so that he could sit next to the jonin.

"Yes." Kakashi agreed. "But they . . . they_ know_ me Tenzou, in a way that no one, _no one_ has ever known me before. They're kids, just genin." Kakashi paused to take a shuddery breath.

"What do you mean Senpai?" Tenzou asked in confusion. He'd never seen Kakashi so shaken before. He had always been so calm and collected previously.

"_Not good enough sensei. We decided that unless you're training with us, we're not listening to a word you say. After all, how do we know that you're not telling us to do it so that you can get rid of us and you can go back to doing whatever it is that you do before we entered the picture?"_

"_Can you assure me that you can beat my brother should he ever come back, looking to finish what he started?" _

"_We're a team, Kakashi-sensei and we won't abandon you. Not now, not on our first dangerous mission, not ever."_

"They knew about my fears, the ones where I lose my teammates." Kakashi replied, staring at the wall rather than look at wide eyes that saw too much, had always seen too much in him. "They were reading me like a book the whole time. To be honest I feel like I've lost something, a part of myself, as though I was forced to live under an intense observation but that's just ridiculous. They're just kids."

Kakashi sighed in frustration before getting up and pacing. "They knew about my habit of watching my prospective genin teams during team assignments. They knew about my habit of being late. They knew about my bell test. They knew about everything Tenzou."

"Well, Senpai, you have failed a great many teams and you are a living legend among the Shinobi of Konoha. Perhaps they took the time to find out a little about you. I imagine it would be no mean feat to get into the Academy Instructor's offices and see the Team Assignment records, both past and future. All it would take is one daring genin and hasn't Naruto-kun proven that he's more than a little gutsy?" Tenzou tilted his head with a soft smile at the pacing jonin who had stopped to look at him. "It's somewhat enduring that they're that willing to work with you. Perhaps they were trying to impress you?"

Kakashi's shoulders seemed to relax slightly and his eyes slowly changed from pained to thoughtful.

"Thanks Kohai. You always were my little voice of reason." Kakashi stated, sounding far more at ease now. "Still, that makes me wonder, what the hell are they hiding? What the hell is so big that they managed to distract even me from trying to figure it out? Little brats." Kakashi added with an irritated scowl.

"Perhaps, like you, Senpai, they have a hard time trusting people. The Uchiha boy alone would have plenty reason enough to keep his distance." Tenzou offered.

The only problem with that, Kakashi thought to himself in a deadpan tone as Sasuke's actions with the bells flashed through his mind, is that they were far too trusting _of him_ for him to believe that. It was like they were desperate, or desperately trying to achieve something. It wasn't obvious but it was there in the way that their actions were too practised, to well thought out.

"_They don't let just anyone in on the secret of talented they truly are, Kakashi-kun. Don't let it be a miss placed trust. I believe in all their young lives there has only ever been one other and that was Umino Iruka." _

"Thanks for the chat Tenzou. Really, it helped but there's someone I need to go and see." Kakashi stated suddenly, a little absently.

"Ah, sure thing Senpai. I'd say any time but you know how ANBU gets." Tenzou replied ducking his head.

"Hai. Well I'll be seeing you around. Don't get killed without me." Kakashi added with his usual eye smile before leaving through the door. It had been some smart ass ANBU's idea to make it impossible to shunshin inside of the ANBU headquarters. Great in theory with enemy infiltrations and what not but not so great for those unfortunate die hard ninja whom absolutely loathed using a door.

Kakashi wasn't quite sure yet which side of the fence he fell on with that issue. The only thing no one seemed to really know, was whose bright idea it had been in the first place. Since most of the ANBU were certifiably insane, most of them were by default die hard ninja that loathed using a door. For the poor smart ass ANBU who'd made the suggestion's own safety, his identity had been kept a secret.

Too bad Kakashi never asked Naruto if he'd tried to shunshin out of the ANBU headquarters since the blond clearly had the skill to perform the technique. If he had, he'd have noticed the amusement blazing within those blue eyes and immediately realise that the smart ass ANBU, was no ANBU at all.

.0.0.0.

Umino Iruka never expected to arrive at his apartment after a late shift at the mission desk to see a ninja learning against the wall next to his front door.

Schooling his features into something that didn't resemble guarded caution, the Academy Instructor moved closer, only now seeing the features that identified the man as none other than Hatake Kakashi. He knew the ninja by reputation and experience since Kakashi had been the Captain of the mission that had made Iruka decide to be a teacher.

But that was as far as their relationship went.

"Hatake-taichou." Iruka greeted, having never known the man under any other title. The jonin in question didn't seem to care either way.

"Umino-san. I was wondering if perhaps you could spare a moment or two." Kakashi replied, inclining his head slightly in greeting.

"If I may ask, Hatake-taichou, what exactly is this about?" Iruka asked, not meaning to sound rude but needing to know all the same.

"Team 7."

Iruka closed his eyes as a sudden wave of weariness washed over him. When he opened them again, he was sure they looked far older than what they had a moment prior.

"Come on in Hatake-taichou." He sighed, opening his door and going in first so that he could turn on the lights as he went.

Kakashi only hesitated for a mere second before he followed, removing his shoes by the door as he did so.

"Would you like something to drink?" Iruka asked but moving to make tea all the same so Kakashi didn't reply.

The tiny apartment was silent as the chunin went about making the tea and neither seemed all too eager to break that silence. Kakashi stood in the doorway of the kitchen awkwardly, waiting for the man to tell him what to do or where to sit.

Iruka didn't. He seemed to be focusing his mind on his self-set task. It wasn't a good sign to the jonin that Iruka had grown so sombre after mentioning his genin. The man was known for being typically in good spirits.

"My first meeting of Uzumaki Naruto was not something I had ever expected and not something I think I'll ever be able to forget . . . brush aside." Iruka began suddenly. Kakashi did not miss the fact that Iruka had said _of_ Naruto and not _with_ Naruto. Iruka paused again as he poured the tea into two cups and handed one to the jonin. "When I had first heard that I was to be teaching Naruto, I didn't know quite what to do. See, it wasn't as though I hated him . . . I just didn't know what to do with him either. After all, I lost both of my parents that night and while logically I knew that Naruto was a child and not _**it**_, I was still in over my head. A Rookie Instructor charged with the boy's last chance at becoming a ninja? I thought Sandaime might have been losing it."

Iruka paused again, seemingly needing to gather his thoughts as he took a sip from the tea he'd just prepared. "I don't know what I expected to see when I first walked into that classroom. I don't know if it was a grinning prankster or a glaring menace but whatever it was, it wasn't a broken boy in the arms of two students who up till then, had shown no indication of ever being all that close to each other." Iruka stopped to frown, lost in his own thoughts. "Those eyes, all three of them had the most pain filled eyes. It was something that one would never expect to see in a child, especially not ones so young . . . . . . after that, Sasuke and Sakura, they changed a little. Sasuke, well he'd been a little distant before Naruto came but a lot of the kids tend to get that way sometimes, parents away on missions, something's not going so well at home. But they always bounce back. Expect, Sasuke never did and all things considered with what happened, it's not really a surprise."

Iruka moved towards the doorway and Kakashi leaned away from it so that the chunin could pass. He followed when he saw the man head to the couch.

"Sakura had always been nearly inseparable from Yamanaka Ino, and sometimes she'd interact with Sasuke but it wasn't anything more than what you'd expect from children that age. They were in the same class after all so they were bound to exchange a few words. But after Naruto came, things changed." Iruka looked down at the steaming half full cup in his hands. Perhaps making the tea was so that he'd have something to do. "It wasn't anything major and for the most part I never even noticed. But things have a way of lingering in your mind whether you want them to or not. Sakura still talked to Ino, Sasuke still kept to himself and Naruto became the boisterous child I'd mostly expected from him when I'd first been informed of having him in my class."

"But, every so often there'd be a look, a shared almost missed whisper. A strange interaction that held a far deeper meaning. There was a silent_ something_ about them that made you absolutely certain there was more than what you were seeing." Iruka whispered, sounding troubled.

"Something you can't put your finger on, you just know it's there." Kakashi supplied and Iruka blinked in surprise before nodding in agreement.

"The second time I saw something I won't easily forget, and perhaps I wasn't meant to see either of these events but I was there all the same, was when Sasuke broke down in the middle of recess, the very same day that his family was killed." Iruka's tone sounded a little haunted and Kakashi wondered if the chunin had ever told anyone about what he'd seen, ever talked to anyone about it before. "He'd been growing more and more distant while the other two had been moving closer and closer to him in terms of seating arrangements. It was as though they were trying to form a physical barrier between him and something else but they were trying not to be obvious about it."

"Their teamwork is impeccable." Kakashi clarified for the chunin.

"Thing is, they never showed that in the Academy. They were supposed to be one of the teams that failed. Their dynamic just wasn't supposed to work." Iruka shook his head. "Naruto had been goading Sasuke the whole day, pushing him into sparring matches whenever he could. Eventually Sasuke snapped and the two had a spar that I've never seen in Academy genin before. There was so much emotion in their movements, so many unspoken words. And then Sasuke was crying, breaking down while Naruto held him together. Out of all the kids there, only Naruto and Sakura seemed to truly understand what was happening."

"And you were left standing on the side lines, trying to figure out what you'd missed and when." Kakashi sighed.

"Then the Uchiha died and they went back to normal. Well as normal as things can be when they're involved." Iruka shrugged. "The third time I saw something I won't easily forget is that thing with Mizuki. Naruto seemed like an entirely different person. He didn't care about Mizuki, he wasn't scared. He didn't even appear to be interested in the whole thing. It was like staring at someone older. He didn't even care about the reason why everyone hates him so much."

There was silence again as they finished their tea.

"What do you think about them?" Kakashi asked, being the first to break the silence.

Iruka shook his head as though trying to say he didn't really know. "They're children. But at the same time . . ." he looked at Kakashi then, eyes showing a story he couldn't adequately place into words. "I'd say they were geniuses but it's not that. I mean Naruto truly didn't get some of the concepts taught at the Academy until one day I tried explaining it to him a different way and recognition flared in his eyes, recognition and not understanding as though he was connecting the theory to something he'd already practised. And then, despite that, he continued to do poorly in his grades." Iruka looked away again. "Then there are the times where they know things, just know it. No explanation is needed, nothing. Like Naruto never once attempted to use the Bunshin jutsu in the Academy, like he knew he'd never have the chakra control for it. Sakura always had this habit of playing with her things using her chakra, almost absently but this was before we'd even explained what chakra was to the students. Sasuke, well he'd always seemed like he was miles and miles away yet he never failed at anything. He got perfect scores throughout his entire Academy attendance. He never made a single mistake."

"But, do you think they're dangerous?" Kakashi whispered.

Iruka blinked at him as though he was stunned Kakashi would even ask him that.

"Without a doubt Hatake-taicho, but that's not the issue. The main concern is who are they planning to use those talents against?" Iruka replied.

"Who indeed."

"However, they're unflinchingly loyal to Konoha. That is something I am absolutely certain of." Iruka nodded his head adamantly.

"How can you be sure?" Kakashi himself needed to be one hundred percent certain if he was ever going to continue down this path without referring them to go and have a nice long chat with Ibiki.

"Because they were the ones who explained the Will of Fire to their classmates, far better than what I'd ever be able to. They spoke as though they'd experienced the life of a Konoha Shinobi, as though they were intimate with its entire meaning and not just the childish dream most Academy students have." Iruka replied with a sad smile.

Kakashi sighed. "It would seem my little genin are far more complicated than what anyone ever gave them credit for."

.0.0.0.

Naruto paused, having been on his way to Sasuke's house.

But then, something else had caught his gaze.

Down below, just in front of the Hokage Tower, a Tokubetsu Jonin was giving a long winded and flowery lecture to a young boy who wasn't really listening.

Sarutobi Konohamaru.

Closing his eyes in contemplation, Naruto wondered if he should approach the child or see if the child would somehow find a way to gravitate towards him.

With a shrug he decided that it would be interesting to see what fate dictated, if only for the first little while.

.0.0.0.

Kakashi was standing out by the memorial stone, hands stuffed deep into his pockets and head bowed as his mind raced through everything he had learnt in these last few days.

There were things that he would never be able to explain so he simply decided to stop trying.

Then there were things that given a little more information, and he was sure he'd be able to unravel the mystery like yanking on a stray thread.

Another thought that hounded his addled mind was the possibility of his genin being stronger than him, Sasuke's words in their brief spar playing over and over. His genin might not need him at all.

But did he need them?

He'd wanted to teach Naruto-kun since the boy was five but had he come too late?

Both conversations with Tenzou and Umino Iruka were in his thoughts as well, especially Tenzou's suggestion that they were trying to impress him. One thing was certain, they'd helped him to clear some of his confusions and to realise that they were still _his_ genin, no matter what. He wasn't going to let anyone else take them from him.

Kakashi was snapped from his thoughts when a twig was snapped not far from him. Reflexes made him tense but he did not move, did not turn away. Not yet.

Then a small hand was grasping his arm, fingers curling in the fabric of his shirt. Blond locks could be seen out of the corner of his eye and Kakashi realised that the boy had specifically chosen the side that wasn't in his blind spot.

Pastel pink made him turn his attention back to the stone and he saw that Sakura had bought an array of flowers with meanings so deep and complimentary to their purpose, he was sure more experienced kunoichi would have a hard time besting it.

Lastly, Sasuke stepped up to his other side, tilting his head slightly to look up at the jonin.

"D-ranks tomorrow?" He asked, large eyes showing none of the angst broodiness that he usually displayed to the world.

"D-ranks tomorrow." Kakashi agreed.

.0.0.0.


	7. Chapter 7

**Beta-ed by Jenny-Cat-Miaow.**

**Chapter 7**

Kakashi hummed lightly to himself as he read the Icha Icha book in front of his nose.

Before him, were three not so excited genin while they waited in line, a very long line at that, to get their very first official mission. In fact, they looked like they'd rather go attempt a hostile takeover in Iwa.

The Hokage's eyes twinkled knowingly as he spotted the three genin and their sensei but he didn't say a word.

"Everybody stop!" Naruto suddenly yelled out in the overly crowded room.

The Shinobi were so startled that they did as the blond had shouted and froze instantly.

Two chunin had hurried into the room, having not heard the shouted demand from the Uzumaki and were immediately met with "For the love of RAMEN! DON'T FRICKEN MOVE!"

Utter silence greeted Team 7 as the Shinobi reflexes forced every person to instantly obey the strangely commanding yell from the shortest member of team 7. Even Naruto didn't seem to be too keen on moving just yet as his features scrunched up agonisingly, entire body twitching and wincing every so often.

"Can you hear it?" Naruto whispered loudly enough to be heard, his tone showing a measure of sadness as well as intrigue.

"Hear what Naruto-kun?" The Sandaime asked as the confused ninja all looked to their leader, none of them able to hear whatever it is that the blond boy could.

His sensei seemed completely unaffected and had in fact just turned a page.

His teammates looked like they were deciding between huffs of irritation or smirks of amusement. In the end, Sakura settled for irritation and Sasuke for amusement.

"Oh my bad, I have to be their voice so that you lesser beings can hear them too." Naruto tsked, shaking his head as though he were disappointed in himself.

Naruto lifted a foot very carefully before lowering it to the ground again. The moment any part of his foot came into contact with the ground the blond began to scream blue murder, breaking the surprisingly high pitched screech with things like "Ahhhhh! EEEEE. .(Scream) . . have mercy! Yelp. .(Scream) . . . . . EEP! Sweet mother of Kami is this the en– . .(Scream) . . Mayday Mayday! . . .(Scream) . We're all going to diiiiiiiiiiiiiiie! . .(Scream) . . . ." The scream was so sudden that the chunin from earlier found themselves jumping a mile in the air, scattering the papers they were holding.

In the chunins' defence making a Shinobi anxious, as Naruto had done, wasn't a very nice thing to do, as it tended to make them more likely to skewer any moving object enemy or foe. Questions may or may not be asked later. Mostly not.

At this point no one had any idea what the boy was going on about but Sasuke and Sakura understood what Naruto was doing. They tugged discreetly on their sensei's sleeve who had actually become quite interested in what Naruto was going to say next. In the distraction of the fluttering papers, dodging hastily thrown kunai, or just generally watching Naruto's antics, no one noticed Sasuke and Sakura's exchange of amused giggles.

"Oh, and who would 'they' be?" The Sandaime raised a brow questioningly as he contemplated his little genin.

"The millions of billions of micro-organisms we _MURDER _with every step that we take!" Naruto growled out as though this was the greatest offence any human could ever commit. The boy's face glared at the occupants of the room, _daring_ them to question his logic.

"Ah well, Naruto-kun, didn't you perhaps think that maybe they were so small that we couldn't squish them no matter how hard we stomp. But we are also ninja, Naruto-kun and therefore we stomp very softly." Sarutobi supplied with a soft smile, years of patience being put into practise. Not to mention his own grandson Konohamaru.

Naruto's face zapped out of its glare and his eyes widened before he grinned widely.

"Well look at that Jiji, you're suddenly free of ninja aaaaand my team has gotten to the desk already. And here I thought I was going to be here the whole day, possibly dying a premature death from boredom. Lucky me."

Then the blond was strolling casually towards the rest of his team that had subtly been making their way towards the Hokage's desk that no one else had approached due to Naruto's outburst.

The Hokage shook his head before handing one of the grinning genin a scroll. Sasuke chucked it carelessly over his shoulder at the jonin behind them, who had for all appearances ignored what had been going on around him.

"Are we allowed to get more than one mission at a time?" Naruto asked with a pout.

"No. Now get to it, Team 7. That mission does have a time limit."

"Aww Jiji, that was mean." Naruto whined but it lacked the usual nasal quality since he saw the playful amusement twinkling in the old man's eyes.

Sasuke however scoffed before muttering under his breath, "A time limit? And he gave that to us?" the boy shook his head. "Not the greatest idea."

As the four walked out the door at a leisurely pace, activity within the crowded room seemed to resume and Naruto snickered.

"YOSH! I will do my best Gai-sensei! For I am in the Spring Time of my YOUTH!"

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura froze as that all too familiar voice floated towards them. From the volume they knew that they had seconds, mere measly seconds, to find somewhere to hide.

"Alien ninja." Naruto whispered hoarsely in panic.

Sasuke suddenly henged himself into a bright pink flower hair clip that was attached to Kakashi's silver stands. Sakura whimpered with wide eyes, muttering "NO, not again, no more dating proposals." Before desperately grabbing Kakashi's Icha Icha book and tossing it at Naruto who fumbled frantically to catch it. The pink haired kunoichi then henged into an exact replica, albeit a slightly brighter orange Icha Icha book, –without the words mind you–, that suddenly found itself within the silver haired jonin's hands.

By now the voice was almost in the room, loud enough to rattle a few sensitive ear drums.

Naruto gulped with a shifty eyed expression dominating his every feature, stuffing the book he suddenly found himself with down the collar of his jacket before he henged into a bright red scarf attached to Kakashi's upper arm, as though Kakashi were making some sort of rebellious statement.

"Ah Kakashi, my Eternal Rival!" Gai boomed upon entering and immediately spotting the other jonin due to his somewhat eccentric appearance. "Have you come to get a mission for your most youthful genin as well?" The man's teeth gleamed brightly as he smiled widely. "Speaking of your cute little genin, I have yet to meet them, my Eternal Rival. Where are they? Have you lost them again? I know that this is your first team but that is highly uncool of you."

"Huh? What did you say?" Kakashi asked blandly.

Kakashi was tempted to remain with Gai for a little longer just to see how long his genin could maintain their henge. But he really wanted his book back. "Oh would you look at the time? I have to go turn those frowns on the Hokage Monument upside down."

With a cheerful wave Kakashi shunshined out of the room.

.0.0.0.

"Target is MINE!" Naruto growled and he leapt into the air.

"I told you dobe! I got it." Sasuke hissed before jumping after the blond.

"Mine!" Naruto screeched over his shoulder, dashing towards their escaping mission target.

The blond pulled out kunai with paper bombs attached and for one frightening moment Kakashi thought he was going to throw them at their target. Instead, the blond cackled evilly before tossing them over his shoulder and at the Uchiha.

Sasuke shunshined out of the way, leaving Kakashi to deal with the now active kunai. He almost whimpered but used a replacement jutsu, leaving a log to take the damage.

"AHHHHHHH!" Sasuke suddenly shrieked in protest. "NO! The LOOOOOOOG."

"Log? What about a log?" Naruto, asked, even pausing in his mad dash to look to Sasuke questioningly. Kakashi's eye almost twitched, but he convinced himself that Naruto's feet had not made skid marks nor had they exuded dust clouds.

The only reason he refused to acknowledge this fact was because this was a D-rank mission and that would indicate that their target ran at jonin level.

"Your kunai blew up the log Kakashi-sensei replaced himself with." Sasuke wailed.

_Oh no . . . Please don't be one of _those_ ninja._ Kakashi pleaded silently to himself as he watched both genin turn to him with wide eyes of utter disbelief.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto snapped. "By my estimation, you now have forty saplings to go plant!" he barked, eyes blazing with anger. "You must repent! You must go write your letter of apology! Now, now, **NOW**." By this statement there was a hint of hysteria in the blonde's voice that had Kakashi flinching back in somewhat fear. Yes, one of _those_ ninja.

"By the Log, sensei!" Sasuke began to threaten, taking on a tone that Kakashi had seen him direct at Naruto only once, and Naruto had _listened_. Kakashi felt that in that moment, as killer intent far too efficient washed over him, that it was best to obey the two genin.

"I guess I'll be planting those saplings then won't I?" he chuckled nervously before shunshinning away.

"Now where were we?" Naruto muttered. "And he _better_ write that apology letter." He added darkly.

"My target!" Sasuke screamed before dashing away, resuming the chase they had abandoned just moments before.

Tora the cat felt sure that all his past actions against the genin of Konoha were coming back to get him. Karma really was a bitch because right now there were two genin on his furry tail, hell bent on beating the other in capturing him, no matter what got damaged along the way.

Naruto made a grab for the feline, snagging his middle and hugging him close.

Sasuke delivered a kick to Naruto's arm powerful enough to break the bone, since Naruto had been forced to absorb all the impact least the cat get hurt. As a result, his arm went limp and Tora found freedom once more.

Not for long as Sasuke snagged his tail and Tora flailed around in the air, hissing and trying to scratch Sasuke for all he was worth.

"**TEME!**" Naruto roared before actually head butting Sasuke clear across the crowded street they had stopped in.

In order to ensure the cat wasn't caught in the crash landing that was sure to follow, Sasuke was forced to let go.

Not to be outdone by the blond, Sasuke wrestled Naruto to the ground and the two began to have a brawl that resembled something that two five year olds would engage in and not twenty something year olds stuck in twelve year old bodies. There was slapping, there was biting, and there was a whole lot of shrieking when pinches were a little too sharp.

Nonetheless, Tora took the opportunity to slink very carefully away.

Sakura, however, noting the time of the day snatched the cat up in a brown sack before tying the end together to prevent an escape.

There was a sharp _riiiiiiip_ and Tora was making a beeline for a dark alley.

"That's it!" Sakura yelled. She'd had just about enough of that cat, in BOTH life times. And this time, not only did she have to contend with the cat, but she had to contend with D-ranks and immature teammates as well.

With a mad cackle she pulled out a kunai, complete with exploding tag, only this one packed more of an_ oomph_ than that of all Naruto's previous kunai combined.

And they called Naruto the impulsive one . . . . .

Sasuke and Naruto stopped their brawling to look at Sakura with two very loud and identical gulps. When the exploding tag began to fizz in activation, they paled and very casually shuffled to the side, said shuffling looking somewhat awkward since both were still tanged in a heap on the floor.

"Fire in the goddam hole!" Sakura was considerate enough to warn before tossing the kunai.

.0.0.0.

A singed and still slightly smoking Kakashi was standing at attention in the mission room. His jonin peers were trying very hard to stifle the snickers.

"I didn't tell you to jump into an active explosion area, Sensei." Sakura scolded as though the poor man wasn't twitching slightly.

"You can't blow up the target of the mission." Kakashi hissed, staring directly ahead as he waited in line with his three genin and a one less than fluffy Tora cowering in his arms.

"Oh come on Sensei, now that cat will stay where he knows it's save. Genin have been going far too easy on that demon. Honestly, I was doing the Shinobi of Konoha a great service." Sakura argued.

Next to Kakashi and completely ignoring the kunoichi and the jonin's exchange, Sasuke poked Naruto. Hard.

"Your arm is out of line." He informed the blond.

"And whose fault is that?" Naruto glared back.

"Want me to fix it for you?" Sasuke replied innocently.

"You'd better. You're the one that messed it up." Naruto growled in warning. "I just might repay the favour."

"We both know you can take more hits than all of us combined and still sing about it the next day. So grow a pair would you." Sasuke scoffed before grasping Naruto's broken arm.

Sasuke then performed a pretty impressive flip rotation manoeuvre.

Naruto bit back the scream as a loud crack filled the room and Kakashi, the poor, poor unprepared jonin, whirled to them in shock.

"How does that feel?" Sasuke asked, completely uncaring of the looks of horror and disbelief they were receiving.

"Heh, better. But you're still an ass." Naruto replied swinging his arm this way and that. His fingers were still blue and he still couldn't move them very well but at least the bone was back in alignment and he would heal properly.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that." Sakura muttered before going over to Naruto and placing a glowing hand on his arm, healing the broken bone even though by the next morning it would have been as good as new anyway.

By this point Kakashi felt like he needed to sit down.

Medical ninjutsu at that level and used so casually?

He nearly jumped when a warm hand was placed on his masked cheek. He realised a second later that Sakura was healing the parts of his skin that had gotten slightly burnt in the explosion.

"Ah, thank you Sakura. Oh and Sasuke can we not make it a habit to break our teammates?" Kakashi eventually settled on saying. The three of them could've easily tended to their self-inflicted injuries out of his sight but they'd chosen to do it where he could see everything.

Trust.

It was a display of their trust in him.

He'd never had someone trust so explicitly within him and the prospect was more than a little daunting.

Yet at the same time, it was something he felt he could get addicted to and that scared him even more.

"Team 7." The Hokage called softly and Sakura pulled her hand away, leaving the stunned jonin feeling infinitely healthier than before she had begun.

Tora, the now trembling ball of skin, rather than the demon cat from hell was promptly delivered over to his owner and they all cringed when the poor thing was squeezed half to death by the woman. But Tora looked happier so maybe it wasn't all bad.

At the very least he'd be at home recovering for the foreseeable future.

"Let's go out to Ichiraku's to celebrate the completion of our very first D-rank mission." Naruto whooped and his genin teammates blinked at him with raised brows before they all burst out into peals of laughter.

Once again, Kakashi felt like he was missing something here, that he was an outsider looking in on a private joke.

Still, his genin were his genin and he was starting to understand that they were showing that to him more and more as they went. He was actually somewhat surprised they hadn't asked for another mission.

"Sensei? Did you plant those saplings?" Naruto asked suddenly, his laughter stopping just as instantly, a psychotic gleam in narrowed blue eyes winking at the jonin warningly.

"Yes, yes I did. In fact I managed to get Gai to plant some of his own as well." Kakashi replied with a large grin.

"Did you write the letter of apology?" Sasuke narrowed his gaze at the jonin and he suppressed the urge to gulp. Just something about the way he did that . . .

"Not yet Sasuke, since I had this sudden urge to be by my cute little genin only to find that they were trying to blow up the target." Kakashi replied with an even bigger smile. "So how about since I missed half of the mission so that I could go plant saplings, you three help me write the mission report after your celebratory ramen."

It wasn't a request.

"Yeah, sure. Just remember sensei, my mom wants me home before 10 tonight." Sakura reminded with a roll of her eyes.

"Hai hai. And I'll be walking you home, Sakura-chan." Naruto grinned.

"In your dreams blondie! I can walk myself home." Sakura growled.

"And if I said I'd come as well?" Sasuke asked with a smirk.

"If you must." Sakura replied with a shrug.

Kakashi couldn't help the smile as he walked behind his genin. They'd left the mission room sometime just before Naruto's yell for celebratory ramen and were now walking over to the ramen stand.

As they laughed and talked Kakashi merely watched. They interacted as though they'd known each other for years, so much longer than what their records said they did. He'd underestimated just how well they worked together. This ragtag bunch of genin really had the greatest potential out of all of them.

Kakashi allowed a slow smirk to tug at his lips.

And they were his genin too.

Though, he had to admit, not once had they tried to see under his mask. And that was surprising.

.0.0.0.

Sarutobi watched them leave with thoughtful contemplation. He knew that it would soon be time. Perhaps tonight even. They were ready. The village needed it and they would know what to do. He trusted them, even though most would not. It wasn't that he knew what their secret was, it was more like he'd been Hokage for so long, seen so many come and go, that he knew that he could trust them.

If people like Danzou ever found out the extent of Team 7's mysteries, then there would be far more trouble than one aged Hokage could deal with. His next course of action could truthfully either hinder him or take the village to new levels that had been lacking with his growing age.

Some things were worth the risk.

.0.0.0.

Naruto looked up in surprise as he continued slurping his noodles.

Sakura and Sasuke paused in their conversation to look at what had caught the blonde's attention.

"Jiji." Naruto greeted with a grin after he managed to clear his mouth of any noodles. "You here for some ramen too?"

"Ah no Naruto-kun. I'm actually here for you three, well four." The Sandaime stated after pulling out his pipe.

It was only then that Naruto noticed the old man wasn't wearing his Hokage robes.

Kakashi was instantly more alert. But to anyone else, he merely looked the same.

"Tonight, when you're all 'writing' out that report for your mission today, there's some scrolls I want you to look at." Sarutobi said with a wink and they knew that this, whatever it was, wasn't supposed to be widely known if known to others at all.

"You know what, I think I'll have some ramen after all." Sarutobi added thoughtfully, acting as though nothing was out of the ordinary. Team 7 could do nothing other than play along.

.0.0.0.

Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke followed Kakashi to his apartment, walking through the streets to get there rather than having Kakashi shunshin them there. It seemed they all wanted the time to think.

What could the Sandaime possibly have left for them to do?

They knew the old man knew they were hiding stuff but it was as though the Hokage didn't care. Not in a suspicious way at least.

Walking into Kakashi's apartment, sure enough, on the low coffee table near the couch were four shiny new scrolls.

One was bright orange with red edges and Naruto grinned before lifting it.

One was bright blue with white edges and a red dot in the middle which Sasuke snatched up.

One was pink with a cherry blossom imprinted onto it and Sakura smiled softly before lifting that one, leaving the deep black one with the silver edges for Kakashi.

Kakashi didn't appreciate the personal touch the scrolls had, concluding only that the old man was getting bored.

There was a heavy silence in the room as they each unrolled their scrolls and began to read.

None of them reacted to the words but the silence in the air grew heavier with every passing moment.

Eventually Naruto placed his scroll on the ground, biting his thumb and swiping it across a seal at the end of the Hokage's message.

Sasuke, Sakura and Kakashi did the same and four of the blackest sets of armour poofed into the room. Four masks were balanced atop the piles of clothing and the Shinobi had no idea what to say at that point.

"It looks just like my ANBU mask, but its black." Kakashi eventually settled for.

"ANBU?" Naruto blinked.

"What did your scroll say?" Sasuke breathed, staring at the blank holes where his eyes were to be during his very special mission.

"Finance, Intelligence, Cryptanalysis, Chunin, Orphanage, Aviary." Naruto replied.

"Mine is the Hospital and the Library and archives." Sakura added, sounding stunned. "I've also got the Ninja Tool Research facility."

"I've got ANBU and surprisingly, the Academy." Sasuke answered before they could even look to him for his answer. "And the Correctional Facility."

"And I have ROOT, Torture and Interrogation and the Jonin forces which by default includes the genin." Kakashi listed.

"And over all security." They chorused together.

"Anyone have clans?" Naruto asked.

"No. Clan affairs are not village affairs." Kakashi answered.

"Clan affairs affect the village." Sasuke muttered lowly but the matter was dropped.

Naruto pulled out a brush and some ninja ink from his pouch before carefully picking up the pitch black mask that was now his. On the one side of the mask, a single orange line curled over the cheek in a soft swirl, not as tight as an Akimichi's though. That was all.

With swift motions he painted on the seal that would conceal his identity, literally allowing him to become a whole other person the moment he placed the mask over his face. The seal was a part of the Sandaime's orders but Naruto would have done it anyway.

Sasuke's mask was next and his, ironically in Naruto's opinion anyway, had the Konoha Leaf symbol etched in the same blue of the scroll on the forehead of the mask.

Sakura's mask seemed to be blank at first but when one tilted it towards the light, only then did they see the near invisible pattern of cherry blossoms imprinted onto the mask's surface.

Kakashi, as he had stated, was a coal version of his ANBU mask.

"My code name is Sasayaku." Naruto stated as he placed the seal on Kakashi's mask. "Whisper."

"Mine's Fukushu." Sasuke had knelt down at the table when Naruto had begun painting the seals. "Vengeance."

"Mine, refreshingly enough, means water lily." Sakura smiled weakly. "Suiren."

"And I have progressed from Hound to Wolf." Kakashi muttered, "Okami."

"And the old man decided to make us the rising sun that combats the ROOTs that grow in the shadows, the Asahi ANBU Black Ops Foundation." Naruto finished, handing Kakashi's mask to him.

"I'll still have to keep up the appearance that we're taking D-ranks." Kakashi frowned. "We all will. This is where Naruto's Shadow clones will come in handy. Perhaps a seal, since I see you are proficient at them, to ensure they do not dispel as easily and that a Hyuga won't see through their henges." Inwardly he was amazed that his genin were powerful enough to be considered for their current missions. He knew more experienced ANBU and Jonin that wouldn't have been able to complete this mission.

"Hai. Taichou." Naruto nodded.

Kakashi cocked his head at the name. Which did he prefer, sensei or taichou?

Didn't really matter he supposed.

"So, I'm guessing the old man knows more than what he lets on." Sasuke muttered.

"He does have that crystal ball thing and he was the one that suggested the training ground that we've been using." Sakura replied thoughtfully, fingering the edge of her mask.

All four of them now had unlimited access to _anywhere_ in the village, any secret, any jutsu. They were allowed an infinite amount of weaponry and medical supplies.

The only thing they did not have access to, free access anyway, was food.

"This is going to take a while to break into. I wasn't expecting this at all." Naruto muttered.

"These pay checks seem a little ridiculous." Sakura muttered, reading over the figure in her scroll once again.

Kakashi leaned over to see what hers said before chuckling. "Yeah it's not as much as mine. I'd think it was ridiculous as well."

Sakura spluttered. "I meant that it was high. Extremely high. Not even a Hokage's apprentice would earn this much."

"Why would they?" Kakashi scoffed, "They're just an apprentice. What Sarutobi-sama has just asked us to do, is to integrate ourselves into the workings of the entire village, and to change it for the better. He has apparently come to the conclusion that our Shinobi have been come lax in this comfortable peace they are enjoying and the lack of efficiency is worrying to him."

"So we have to investigate as well as remodel the entire village, but do it in a way that doesn't appear that we're doing it that way." Naruto summed up, scrunching up his nose. He might have been older but there were still some things that flew over his head.

"We should get Sakura-chan home. It's nearly her curfew anyway." Sasuke suddenly stated. "Besides, judging by these scrolls, we're going to need plenty of sleep for tomorrow."

.0.0.0.

"I'd say this is more than a little unexpected. Do you think the old man knows?" Sasuke stated, his tone conveying the serious nature of the conversation.

"I think he knows something is up and maybe he's finally seen a way to figure out what exactly is happening." Naruto shrugged. "He probably thinks we're like Itachi-kun, or rather you are and you're draggling us along."

"It seems strange though." Sakura admitted, leaning closer to Sasuke. "I mean I feel a little overwhelmed, regardless of where we really come from, this is odd."

"That's true. But it's also obvious that he's not suspicious. If he was, he'd have arrested us, not promoted us." Naruto pointed out. "I think the best thing to do for now is to wait and see. We'll use the opportunity to fix things that need fixing and carry on from there. There's not much else we can do without giving too much away. As it is, Jiji knows too much."

The heavy silence that followed showed a grudging consent, but only because they weren't sure what the old man was up to. Guess now they knew how the Sandaime felt when it came to the three of them.

.0.0.0.

Every member of Team 7's heads were still reeling in shock the next morning but they had packed away their armour and masks, sealing them back into the scrolls they had been delivered in before tucking them away some place safe.

They schooled their features into happy smiles before meeting up at the mission desk to receive their second official 'mission'.

Today, however, there was a small difference as, each one of them, apart from Kakashi, was wearing a scruffy blue bandana tied to their upper arm, complete with a henohenomoheji embroidered onto the fabric.

"Ah Kakashi?" Asuma coughed from behind them. His own team of genin yawning and shuffling along beside him.

"Oh, that's a nasty cough you have there, Asuma-sensei. You should really stop smoking so much." Sakura stated sweetly, with concern lacing every syllable.

The jonin paused for a moment to look at the pinkette who smiled warmly, concern even able to poke through in that positive expression, before he managed to brush the statement aside and continued to address Kakashi. "Isn't it a bit of an overkill to brand your genin the same way you brand your pack? Also, I'm not entirely sure that you're allowed to do that."

"Oh, the bandanas?" Kakashi asked gesturing to the one on Naruto's arm and Asuma nodded. "It was their idea." He shrugged while the three genin giggled.

"Also that's not branding. That's the only way I can tell the difference." Kakashi added with an eye smile at the confused jonin who couldn't decide whether or not it was worth it to ask.

Nara Shikamaru looked at the three genin with a frown. They were hardly acting the same way they had used to act in the Academy. They looked almost like friends at first glance.

"Hello Ino-chan." Sakura greeted the Yamanaka cheerfully and Ino waved back uncertainly. Even she had noticed the difference and for Ino, that was saying something. While Shikamaru wouldn't exactly call his blond teammate stupid, but he wouldn't call her one of the sharpest kunai in his pouch either.

"Hey Shikamaru! How many missions have you guys done already?" Naruto asked loudly and Shikamaru was unhappy to see that that hadn't changed much at all.

"One." Choji answered before chomping onto another chip.

"Well I hate to break up your bonding time kiddies but we're up." Kakashi grinned at the six genin and only three grinned back. The other three shuffled a little closer to Asuma-sensei.

"Ah Team 7. Our expert Cat Explosion Corps." The Sandaime chuckled while said Team 7 went very rigid.

"Meh Jiji, don't tell me you weren't itching to do it too." Naruto grumbled, folding his arms behind his head.

"Well Naruto-kun, I never had to catch Tora." Sarutobi reminded him with a soft smile before presenting them with a scroll. "Painting a fence seems to be slightly safer for Konoha. Unless of course you decide to do something else you probably shouldn't."

"Now why would we do that Hokage-sama? It's not like I was planning on putting explosion tags in the paint buckets to watch my genin's faces when I activate them or anything." Kakashi's eye smile was back in full force, hitting the Hokage with an extra dose of creepy.

"Oh not at all Kakashi-kun. That would be considered extremely un-Konoha-like." The Sandaime agreed easily enough.

The Shinobi in the room were surprised by the casual conversation and even more stunned at the contents of the conversation. It was simply not seen every day if ever at all.

"Run along now. The Hokage is a busy man." The Sandaime made a shooing motion with his hand and the four trooped off without another word.

"Neh, Kaka-sensei." Naruto began, "We need to get our team photo taken. Can we keep the bandanas on for that?"

"Naruto, I wouldn't care if you showed up in a dress." Kakashi muttered, more absorbed in his book. "You're the one that has to be seen like that."

.0.0.0.

Elsewhere in the village, a different set of essentially the same ninja were gearing up to complete the first part of their mission from the Sandaime as Asahi ANBU.

Kakashi was patient as he instructed his young, innocent, genin on how to strap the pitch black ANBU armour into place. He tried to distract himself by reminding himself that this mission didn't involve death, that they weren't even going to be leaving the confines of the village walls. Still, his heart tightened with every strap of the armour they silently buckled into place, his mind seeing images of Itachi and Tenzou doing the same thing many years go.

"Is that too tight? Can you move effectively?" Kakashi asked quietly, tugging on Sasuke's vest.

"No, it's perfect." Sasuke murmured. He was in a strange mood himself and his teammates attributed it to the fact that Itachi had been in ANBU before leaving.

Naruto was next, Sakura having been the first one and once again Kakashi patiently explained the process of placing the armour on correctly. He tried not to look into those blue depths too often because Naruto was perhaps the one that made his heart squeeze the most, even if it was Sasuke that was taking on the most dangerous sections of the missions.

The dark ANBU cloaks they were to wear over their armour were smaller in cut then a normal ANBU cloak, not hiding as much of their body structure as Kakashi felt comfortable with. The fabric was softer, lighter, which made it hug their small forms rather than drape loosely around them. As it was he kept eyeing how small his students looked in their dark uniforms, their bright hair and sparkling eyes such a contrast to everything the masks strapped to their waists represented.

What was the Sandaime thinking?

His genin were talented and smart, but even Kakashi and Itachi had been more experienced and quite a bit taller before joining the ANBU ranks. What ranks were they even? Higher than ROOT?

But ROOT just snuck into the places they weren't allowed to go into. It was the Asahi's job to make sure they _couldn't _break in to anything they weren't supposed to as well as other things that the Sandaime had requested. Because if ROOT could do it then so could an enemy.

What was the Sandaime _thinking_? Again Kakashi couldn't help but wonder. What did the old man know because his genin were too calm about this? He expected them to be at least somewhat shaken, but no. They were absolutely serious.

"So, for now, we're gathering information and getting a feel of things. Don't engage in any confrontations if you don't have to." Kakashi warned. "Your identities are to be kept hidden at all times, no matter what. I will not have this order failed, understood?"

"Hai." Three quiet replies.

Kakashi gave them another once over, his heart squeezing once again at how tiny they looked. Then he was pulling his mask into place over his head, tightening the gloves on his hands and securing the katana strap across his torso.

Three tiny genin mimicked his actions. They had surprised him in producing weapons he had not even known they were capable of using let alone where they could've gotten them from. They'd assured him they were most proficient at kenjutsu.

"Meet back here at three. We still have a genin photo to take." Kakashi, no, Okami-taichou ordered. "Don't allow yourselves to be followed."

"Hai." Three dead replies were that of his ANBU subordinates and no longer his tiny, innocent genin.

Having those blank masks directed at him was a wakeup call in itself. Their chakra signatures had disappeared the moment the masks were donned; no doubt his own signature had done the same as well. The hoods of the cloak ensured their hair was hidden from view as well.

Okami gave the signal to scatter and they did.

.0.0.0.

Sasayaku walked calmly into the room, mentally sighing when no one even looked up at his appearance. He knew that his chakra was masked but his physical appearance was still quite visible and since it was the middle of the morning, and he was wearing fairly dark clothing, they should have spotted him several moments earlier.

Approaching the person that appeared to be in charge, Sasayaku spoke in a dead tone. "I would like to see all the records of the Leaf's finances since its founding." Although his words had been polite, they were not a request.

The startled ninja looked up at him and Sasayaku decided that he just might have over done it a little on those stealth seals. But they served their purpose so he wasn't complaining.

"Y-you're a–" The Shinobi stuttered before gulping and averting his eyes. "A black mask. Hokage-sama mentioned you might be coming sometime in the near future, I just did not think it so near as today."

So the founding of a new ANBU division was not to be a total secret. Interesting.

Sasayaku didn't respond to the words, merely waited for his request to be obeyed.

"Ah, right." The Shinobi blushed in embarrassment, "The Financial records are this way. I must warn you however, they are quite extensive. If you intend to read them all I'm afraid it might take you longer than you'd actually have time for."

Again, Sasayaku didn't reply, only followed as he was led to a large, very large, room that held rows and rows of shelves. Each row had perhaps over a thousand scrolls stored within it.

At first glance, the room was rather well organised and tidy. However, Sasayaku quickly realised that it was all only at first glance.

Suppressing a sigh, he came to realise that as he read, he was going to have to reorganise.

As a Shinobi however, there was the ever present problem of exactly how one should organise their information. They didn't want to make it too easy for an enemy Shinobi to find what they were looking for should they indeed manage to get through the defences.

As the Financial department, it was home to the mission records as well. Merely for the sake of convenience since mission payments could be linked to the mission itself. Sasayaku thought this was foolish. They were making it easier for the enemy as well.

Ending all problems he supposed he could have all the mission reports moved someplace else and then have a dimensional seal placed within the two rooms, locked to all but the highest of personal. It would create a door that bent space so that they might be walking out of this room but they'd be walking straight into another room across the village.

Also in this department was a list of every Shinobi to ever serve the Leaf as they had to be paid so their salary records were linked with their personal records. Convenient but also foolish. Chunin sure had gotten lazy.

The personal files not linked to this department were their health records. Those were at the hospital. But things like occupations, mission completion, address, skill and specialities were all listed in this department.

If a ninja wanted to take out the Leaf all they really needed was to attack the Finance Department. Not that finances on its own was any less devastating a place to attack, it was just that the Leaf had really placed everything where it was far too easy for the enemy.

"You may go now." Sasayaku muttered to the Shinobi who'd led him in there. He pulled out a blank scroll and some ink to make his notes on. Then, the moment the chunin had disappeared he created as many Kage Bunshin that could safely fit into the room and made them get to work.

All he really needed now was a general idea of what the Leaf spent their funds on, when they spent their funds, where they spent them and mostly, why.

.0.0.0.

Suiren didn't say a word as she walked through the hospital hallways in the guise of a medic-nin. No one paid her any mind because under her henge she still wore her mask and the seal was still in effect.

But she was still frowning at what she saw. It seemed that Tsunade-sama's presence in the Leaf had been much needed; for more than just her position as Hokage.

Pulling out a blank scroll, Suiren began to make her own notes. Next on her list was to attack the records room. If what she was seeing so far was any indication, that place was likely to be a mess. She wondered what Tsunade-sama's reaction had been upon returning. She was almost sad she'd missed it.

But upon reflection maybe not so much.

After the records room she'd need to understand what their supplies were like. Perhaps a visit to the Naras was in order.

It wasn't that the hospital was dysfunctional. No, it was more like a child who found it easier to place their clothing on a chair or in a pile on the floor rather than in the cupboard where it truly belonged. It wasn't an utter mess, but it wasn't right either.

That was going to change. After all, that's what Suiren was there for.

.0.0.0.

Fukushu stood at the head of the assembled ANBU. Next to him, towering above him, was the ANBU commander and Fukushu was intimately aware of the difference in their appearance.

He was small, almost gentle. His footsteps didn't bare much weight and his presence in the room was barely noticeable. Mostly due to Sasyaku's seal.

"Line up." The gruff bark of an impatient commander.

Fukushu took in the squads of Konoha's best and found himself wondering two things; which did Itachi stand amongst while he'd been there, and which had ROOT operatives leaked into them?

Their discipline was one of their greatest attributes and Fukushu silently applauded them. As it was, he was standing with his arms relaxed and by his sides. His posture was casual, not ramrod straight nor lounging, merely relaxed.

"As you all may have heard, Hokage-sama has founded a new ANBU Faction. It is unclear as to what this Faction's purpose is, or even what their Code name is, but rest assured it does exist and you will obey all members of this Faction as though it were an order from myself." The ANBU commander did not appear to be one for beating around the bush and Fukushu didn't blame him.

It was then that Fukushu could literally feel all the gazes in the room turn to him.

"They are identified by the black armour and the dark ANBU masks." The Commander continued, his gaze also shifting to Fukushu.

Although not a word was spoken in reply, Fukushu knew that questions were buzzing in the air, yet he felt no need to answer them. He remained relaxed, pondering his next move.

He needed to go over all the records in ANBU headquarters. That meant all classified information. All the information kept in ANBU was not to be seen by just anyone and Fukushu was surprised the Hokage felt that he was the one to be trusted with this and not their taichou, Okami.

"Hmmmm, so the ANBU ranks has gained another child." Ibiki mused, walking into the room, almost completely at ease.

"And if I was just small of stature, Morino-san?" Fukushu asked, no hint of amusement in his tone.

"It is mostly my job to know of the Shinobi in the village that hold enough power to be considered a possible threat. Of all those Shinobi, there were none that were 'small in stature'." Ibiki replied.

"I suppose you are referring to Shinobi such as Hatake Kakashi, or perhaps Sarutobi Asuma." Fukushu tilted his head to the side. "Yet, you have not taken into consideration those training in the ROOT Foundation. If you had, then you would know that they are more of a threat than the jonin within the Konoha ranks. You would not be wasting resources on such ninja and would be focusing them instead upon Danzou and his actions." While his mask might have been turned to Ibiki, his gaze was drinking in the reaction of the gathered Shinobi. They were good, he'd give them that, but even they could not hide everything.

"You're good kid. I like you already." Ibiki smirked. "But yes, I have taken ROOT into consideration. Hiruzen-Sama would not have chosen his Asahi ANBU from those in the shadows."

Despite himself, Fukushu found himself beginning to smile. A small, tight smile, but a smile all the same.

"Your information is not incorrect Morino-san. Perhaps if you, Nara-san and Yamanaka-san were to put your minds to it, you might discover something more but that is most doubtful." Fukushu wondered just where Ibiki was getting his information from and didn't think it boded well to have the man trying to figure out who they were. He just might succeed.

"Fukushu."

A soft voice with no chakra signature to link to it. "Okami-Taichou."

"You have much to learn still. Leave the games to me."

"Hai, Taichou."

"Ibiki-san. It would be in your best interests not to pursue this topic. My subordinate may be young, inexperienced in your games, but I am not." As Okami stepped out of the shadows, tension in the room grew noticeably.

"I suppose it is mere coincidence that your mask is that of Hatake's?" Ibiki asked, pointing out the same thing that all the ANBU had been thinking.

"Hai. Hatake and his genin team are currently painting a fence. Besides, my Code name is Okami." Here even Fukushu felt the dip in the room's temperature as his taichou finished darkly, "Not Haundo."

"Taichou?" Fukushu asked, turning the nearly blank mask to his captain. "Is there something you needed?"

"No. Our missions merely coincided. Your handling of this is poor, Fukushu. Stick to your objective and do not play games you do not fully understand yet." Omaki stated tonelessly. "Those games come later." Okami paused and when he spoke again, there was noticeable amusement in his tone. "Sasayaku is doing better than you."

"Taichou." Fukushu bit out in acknowledgement. "Understood." Okami-taichou lingered for a moment more before disappearing from the room, or appearing to at the very least. They couldn't be sure seeing as they couldn't sense his chakra.

Getting a reprimand from his taichou in front of the entire ANBU division was not something that made Fukushu want to sing with joy. Being told that even Sasayaku was doing a better job really put the Asahi ANBU in a foul mood.

"_Stick to the objective. . ."_ Indeed.

"I would like to be taken to the records room." Fukushu bit out at the ANBU Commander, thoughts still swirling around the burn of his reprimand. Okami was right. He needed to do what he'd come here for, not waste time like he had been doing.

As he was led from the room, he managed to catch a whispered conversation. "Definitely not Hatake-senpai. Haundo-taichou would never have handled the situation so harshly."

And perhaps, that was the only reason he'd done so in the first place, choosing Fukushu merely because he was the one within the ANBU. After all, their identities were to remain a secret at all costs and ANBU just might have the skills needed to uncover who they really were.

.0.0.0.

**OMAKE **

When Naruto's retribution for the Hokage came, it wasn't immediately obvious to the Sarutobi. In fact, he didn't notice it for a full three days.

What he did notice, where the looks of mortified interest he received every so often, the Shinobi who suddenly excused themselves from his presence possibly sporting bloody noses, and the women who were all suddenly angry with him.

It wasn't until Asuma came to get a mission from him, that someone finally had the balls to ask him why his pipe smoke looked like naked women in a strip club.

Mortified with the thought of how long his pipe smoke had been shapeshifting like _that_, and while he'd been trying to iron out some negotiations for the upcoming chinin exams, Sarutobi felt like handing the hat over to the nearest chunin just so he didn't have to face those delegate again.

But he was a Shinobi, he had his pride to maintain and if he was going to do anything then he was going to own this like he meant to have women floating in front of his face all day, even if he hadn't even noticed they were there at first.

"Because I was bored, Asuma-kun." Sarutobi replied, his expression remaining utterly blank. He held out a scroll to the confused jonin and shooed him away so the next shinobi could approach.

Naruto had really done it this time. He could have at least made it so that that Sarutobi could enjoy the women as well, as they seemed to wisp out of his sight the more he tried to look at them. Looking down at his latest report on the chunin exam preparations, the old man decided that maybe that was a good idea. Naruto-kun deserved a little cold water on his ego.

The brat was good, but when he was forced to play the genin the village thought him to be, how good would he be? Sarutobi chuckled at the thought of how frustrated Naruto was going to be at this one. For that matter, how frustrated all of them were going to be.

Still, looking at the names of the Suna genin team that was said to be arriving, perhaps Team 7 needed to enter after all.

.0.0.0.


	8. Chapter 8

**Beta-ed by Jenny-Cat-Miaow.**

**Chapter 8**

"It's hard, isn't it?"

Sasuke turned around, surprised to see Kakashi-sensei walking towards him.

"To face the demons of your past." Kakashi continued, tilting his head towards the abandoned Uchiha district Sasuke was staring at. A light wind fluttered the yellow tape across the entrance that Sasuke had never bothered to remove.

"Hai. For me, it was Itachi's joining of ANBU that ultimately pushed him to kill my clan." Sasuke muttered, not about to tell Kakashi-sensei the truth. Neither of them were ready for that. The truth of the matter, was that Sasuke didn't want to remember how ANBU had taken Itachi from him, merely by giving him more and more missions. He didn't want to say, how the mask, that anonymity, had given his brother a sense of freedom, something he never had while in the clan or being Uchiha Itachi.

"I see. Does wearing the mask hurt that much?" Kakashi asked quietly.

"No. It's just a reminder I did not need." _A reminder of how I failed my brother the first time around._ Sasuke sighed, turning away from the fluttering yellow tap across the entrance, away from the buildings that were too new to truly represent the Uchiha history due to their relocation after Naruto's birth. "Come on, we have a team photo to get to."

There were aspects about the Uchiha's demise that he didn't like to think about, the fact that it could have been prevented was one of those things but in general, his home was no longer within the gates of the compound and he didn't much care for the run down blood splattered buildings he'd inherited. He'd heard they'd wanted to make it a shopping district. He'd surprised a lot of people when he stopped that notion in its tracks. Hence the buildings still stood.

Perhaps one day he'd be able to live there again, but that day was not any time soon.

.0.0.0.

In the end Naruto had arrived in his normal Shinobi clothing for the team photo. Only, he'd left the bandana around his arm and he'd shifted his headband so that it mimicked Kakashi, except it went over his right eye rather than his left.

Sasuke and Sakura had left the bandana's on as well, deeming them picture worthy and upon seeing their blond teammate, they had hesitated only a moment before copying him with their head bands.

So they posed, Sasuke standing in his typical Uchiha pose with his hand on his hip, left eye directed at the camera so that an activated Sharingan could be captured. Sakura stood in the middle with her hands by her chin in a mockery of her original pose only this time three diamonds of stored chakra were visible on her head much like Tsunade's single gem. Naruto was grinning wildly with his hair longer than what it had been the first time around, bordering on looking like Minato, but he'd kept his headband tied over the blond locks unlike the Yondaime who'd left them to drape over the blue cloth. Lastly, Kakashi stood with his hands in his pockets, Icha Icha book suspiciously absent.

What the jonin didn't know and couldn't account for was the split second action on Naruto's part, pre-planned with his teammates of course, to create two Kage Bunshin who dived at the Copy nin, one pulling up is head band to show his own Sharingan and the other henging into Icha Icha which Kakashi had to catch on reflex. The second Kage Bunshin had been tempted to pull down the Jonin's mask but that wouldn't be capturing the essence of their team.

The Bunshin had been dispelled before the camera had flashed, leaving Team 7 with the most accurate team photo to ever be taken. Each person displayed their core, their every strength and weakness. It had perhaps been a risky move that revealed far too much but it was needed. For them at least, they had needed it. Kakashi-sensei would appreciate it only later. The extremely personal connotations the team photo had would be something they could reflect upon later. For the 'genin' it would be their measuring stick so to speak, to see how far they had come when they needed the assurances most.

Only five copies would ever be made, one for each member of the team, and one for the Hokage's records.

As they walked away, Kakashi's headband had been replaced, Sasuke's Sharingan was deactivated, Sakura's genjutsu was up and so was Naruto's henge.

Kakashi didn't say a word about the Kage Bunshin and they didn't comment either. They waved to the aged photographer far too used to Shinobi antics to even bat an eye.

"Who's up for dango?" Sakura offered, and they all silently changed direction to head to the dango stand.

.0.0.0.

They followed a simple routine over the next two weeks. Their Kage Bunshin, as they were all capable of creating at least one, went on petty D-rank missions, while the original Team 7 in their Asahi ANBU uniform would go to their designated areas and read all the records. That's all they had scheduled for the moment, to simply read all the records, learn what the past held so that they may correct what came in the future.

Naruto understood that they were going to coincide eventually in their individual areas and were going to have to work together. In Finance alone Naruto was going to have to consult all of his teammates and his Taichou so that he could direct the correct funds to the correct places.

ANBU and ROOT were very closely linked and as such Kakashi and Sasuke found their own missions clashing often but Sasuke didn't mind. Kakashi taught him how to walk and talk within ANBU; how to play their games.

Torture and Interrogation linked with Intelligence, the Hospital and Cryptanalysis.

The Orphanage was linked to the genin and the genin were linked to the jonin.

The Ninja Tool Research Facility was linked to all Shinobi.

The Aviary was linked with Intelligence, Cryptanalysis, ANBU and to some extent Torture and Interrogation.

So their paths and their bonds crisscrossed in ways they had never linked before. Kakashi was their Captain, their sensei as well as their comrade.

They in turn were his genin, his subordinates and his comrades. He trusted them and they him. They did not hold back when in his presence; they did not lie.

But he never asked them anything that would lead to the direct truth. A part of him wasn't ready to understand and to know just yet. He feared that the truth might take them away from him and he wasn't ready for that yet, maybe not ever.

Slowly but surely they were filling out their Hokage's request.

Sometimes, they'd be given a single mission, a mission that an ANBU squad was to complete. At first Kakashi had been hesitant to allow his team to go on it. It was S-ranked and it was assassination. His fears stayed with him right till the moment Sakura had been the one to deliver the final silent blow and her words soothed his fears. "_We're a team, Kakashi-sensei, and we won't abandon you. Not now, not on our first dangerous mission, not ever."_

The three 'genin' appreciated the fact that the clones actually went through training. Naruto had tried to create a seal that made the Kage Bunshin survive more than a single hit but had only partially succeeded. But all the same, the Kakashi Clone tried to teach the 'genin' Clones jutsu, well mostly the theory behind it, and how to be stealthy like real ANBU. He took time to teach them ANBU hand signs, and ANBU code words.

He actually took the time to train them all equally.

And that was something all three treasured, even Sasuke. His time with the jonin before the chunin exams had not been personal one on one training like so many thought. Kakashi had simply instructed Sasuke to copy what he'd seen Lee do while Kakashi himself had focused on his own training.

So with the Copy-nin actually training them, they were not staying at the level of skill they had previously been at before falling under the Jonin's command once again. They were growing, expanding their area of expertise.

In two weeks they had learnt more than what they had in three years when first under Kakashi's care (a few months for Sasuke but no one dwelled on that fact, least of all Kakashi since he didn't know).

.0.0.0.

Sasayaku fiddled with his fingers nervously. He was going to have to go see the Nara clan head but that was a test in itself. The man was sure to figure out who they were but Okami had expressly forbid the discovery of their true identity and now Sasayaku had hit a snag.

_Just go in, be professional, get what you need, and get out._

He tried to make it sound simple and took a deep breath before shunshinning silently into the room, like any real ANBU would.

It seemed he had interrupted dinner but only one person was truly surprised and that wasn't even a full on jump. Shikamaru's chopsticks sort of did a weird dip on the way to his mouth and that was the only indication that he was startled.

Perhaps they were used to visits from the ANBU.

"Sasayaku, correct?" Shikaku drawled, not even pausing in his meal.

"Hai." Naruto responded, trying to keep his voice as dead as possible and not give away his nervousness.

"Hmmmm, it seems to me that you're a smart one, Asahi ANBU-san but you should probably work on cloaking your voice. It's no good cloaking your chakra if your voice gives away your age. It makes figuring out who you are so much easier." Shikaku suggested casually and Naruto paled under his mask.

"Taichou will not approve of my incompetence." He managed to squeak out in reply. "It would greatly aid me if you did not continue to ponder the truth of my identity."

"That is like telling me not to breathe Sasayaku-san." Shikaku chucked. "That aside, what is it that I can do for you? I've been expecting a visit."

"Your presence and your expertise. It will be requested of Sandaime-sama that you join our ranks. Masked or unmasked would be your choice. Taichou feels your addition will do two things - aid in our mission greatly as well as aid in our desire to remain anonymous. He believes that your own presence within the ranks would sate your curiosity as you are the one who is most likely to figure out who we are if you haven't already done so." Sasayaku explained.

"I will remain unmasked. Should I choose to join. And believe me, boy, it is a choice. However, I don't think you were given much of one. None of you were. Your Taichou has never questioned orders and he would not have started now. Don't doubt that I already know who you are, because I do. I just haven't been able to figure out why." Shikaku finally turned to look at him and Sasayaku suppressed the urge to shudder. That man was just too damn smart. "Sit." Shikaku offered, waving a hand towards the opposite end of the room.

Sasayaku tilted his head in the direction that had been indicated to him, not moving towards it. But Shikaku was getting up, pulling a scroll from a shelf as he passed it.

Sasayaku reluctantly went over to where Shikaku summoned a Shogi board onto the floor, waiting for the ANBU to seat himself across from him and play the game.

"I am not well versed in this pass time, Nara-san."

"_As a twelve year old, I did not think you were. But as the Hokage's personal ANBU you have to have some sort of skill." _

That had all been signed to him in the ANBU code. Chancing a glance at Shikamaru he saw that the boy was pouting slightly, possibly having not yet figured out the ANBU code for himself.

Sasayaku ended up staying over three hours, trying to beat the other in a game of Shogi. He was hardly adequate and he had the distinct impression the Nara was playing with him but he refused to give up.

Until Okami shunshinned into the room.

"Taichou." Sasayaku gasped, dropping the Shogi piece he'd been holding.

"Ah." Was the only reply he got for his greeting. "You've lost six moves ago Sasayaku. It is perhaps time to go home." Okami continued, his tone surprisingly gentle. "Perhaps I shall teach you the basics of Shogi. You almost won three times."

"Hai, Taichou." Sasayaku didn't need to be told twice. He knew a dismissal when he saw one.

Okami didn't even watch the boy shunshin away, turning his attention to Shikaku. "As you already know who they are, I trust you know the importance of not revealing that to anyone. They are what is most precious to me and I do not wish for them to come to harm, Nara-san."

"I gathered as much. What exactly did you need me for? The boy would work well enough. His strategic methods are unpredictable and it's only sheer reaction and experience on my part that prevented him from winning." Shikaku stood, walking away from the Shogi board so that he could face Okami.

"They believe you to be more competent. All three of my subordinates wish for your participation." Okami shrugged. "I could but only ask."

"I hope you know what you're doing, Okami-san. I do not know why this ANBU division was necessary but I do know that it would not exist if it wasn't needed." Shikaku sighed. "I will answer when the Hokage calls."

"Hai." Okami inclined his head in acknowledgement. "Just so we're clear, I could have ordered you to do it anyway, and so could the boy. He's just stubborn about free will and whatnot."

Then Okami was gone, leaving Shikaku to ponder his parting words.

.0.0.0.

"Tazuna."

"What about him?" Naruto asked as he walked the Uchiha home two nights after having visited the Nara residence.

"Would have been a c-rank mission. Which Chunin do you know would be able to handle Zabuza, let alone Zabuza and Haku?" Sasuke continued.

They both turned to Sakura who was happily working on small earth manipulation exercises that could double as chakra control as she pushed a small pebble around without actually touching it.

She didn't turn to them, simply opened her mouth and screeched towards the general tree their Clone Sensei had taken to lounging in. "Sensei! We want to take a real mission. One that goes outside the village!"

A muffled. "I'll see what I can do." Was their reply.

.0.0.0.

"Jiji!" Naruto suddenly yelled.

"Yes Naruto-kun?" The Sandaime sighed with a puff on his pipe. He did notice that these little genin were not wearing the bandanas meaning they were the real ones and not the clones.

"We want a real ninja mission! We're tired of doing chores."

Normally, Iruka would have yelled at Naruto for his rudeness among other things but something about the way they were _all_ acting made him pause.

"I hate to say it, but I agree with the dobe." Sasuke muttered.

"I'm game for anything Sasuke wants so yeah, D-ranks are boring." Sakura quickly agreed, and a tad bit too enthusiastically.

"Genin do D-ranks. You just got out of the Academy Naruto-kun." Sarutobi replied but there was far too much hidden amusement in his tone and gaze.

"Genin can also do C-ranks. We want the old man that just asked for a squad." Sasuke interrupted, crossing his arms defiantly.

"Why him?" Iruka asked despite his inner decision to remain out of Team 7's affairs.

"Well, he's a little old man who probably wants an escort back home. He isn't much of a mission in terms of skilled chunin. It's more than likely that we'll end up with that mission anyway." Sakura surprised them by answering instead of Sasuke.

"What say you, Kakashi-kun?" Sarutobi asked, turning his attention to the amused jonin.

"You already know my thoughts, Sandaime-sama." Kakashi replied, his eye smile widening.

"I see. Very well then. Bring Tazuna-san back in." Sarutobi nodded to the chunin by the door before replacing his pipe to its comfortable spot between his lips.

"Tazuna-san!" Naruto cheered. "You're my very first C-rank client!"

Again, Kakashi got the distinct impression that he was missing the inside joke when both Sasuke and Sakura bit their bottom lips to stop from snickering. He knew that Naruto had done plenty of other ranked missions as Sasayaku but for some reason the genin separated the two lives as though it were another person entirely. So this was a different kind of inside joke.

"Naruto-kun, it's not nice to tell clients how many missions you've done." Iruka chided.

"Oh." Naruto replied with an overly exaggerated pout. "I just thought he'd find it interesting that this is my _very_ _first time_ outside of Konoha."

Again Sasuke and Sakura had to fight back a snicker.

Kakashi had to remind himself that time was what it would take to get them to trust him. Time, he needed time and patience.

Sarutobi however, merely chuckled at the antics. "Tazuna-san, meet your protection detail. They requested you specifically. This is Haruno Sakura, the best female Kunoichi of her year. Uchiha Sasuke, the last member of a well-respected clan in Konoha. Uzumaki Naruto, Konoha's resident prankster as well as all round ball of energetic innocence (Several snorts at that) and their Jonin sensei, Hatake Kakashi."

Interestingly enough, Tazuna shifted almost guiltily at the introduction but he took a swig from his sake bottle and all signs of guilt was lost in his borrowed, liquid courage.

Kakashi filed the information away for later though. For now, Naruto was asking a rather interesting question.

"Jiji, let's say hypothetically that we run into other ninja on this mission." Naruto began, sounding entirely innocent in his enquiry but Kakashi knew better than to assume that's all there was to it.

"It's a C-rank, Naruto-kun. The chances of other ninja are slim to none." Iruka replied, tilting his head slightly in curiosity.

"Ahh, but should you run into any enemy ninja you'll have to kill them of course." Sarutobi answered anyway.

"And if they were missing-nin and I kind of liked them, then what? What is Konoha's policy on accepting non-Konoha Ninja into their ranks?" Naruto continued.

"Their intentions would obviously be questioned. But remember Naruto-kun, they're missing-nin more often than not because they don't want to follow a Kage. There will also always be a trust issue as they have already betrayed one Hidden Village. They have no true loyalty." Kakashi replied, rather than the Hokage.

"What if their reasons were justified in leaving?" Sasuke asked with a frown.

"Such as?"

"No, just what if they were." Sasuke shook his head, his statement not making much sense but to his teammates it was his way of saying_ I don't want to talk about it_.

"Then it would be a decision for the Hokage." Kakashi shrugged. "Konoha isn't known for accepting missing-nin. Missing-nin never last long either. Between hunter-nin and bounty-nin, they're quickly disposed of. And if they're strong enough to survive that then, like I said earlier, they usually don't want to be under a Kage."

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura absorbed his words with the most solemn expressions before each nodded gravely.

"Alright. That clears thing up, thanks sensei, Jiji!" Naruto yelled happily.

The three moved to the door, after Kakashi told the client where to meet them seeing as his genin didn't have any more questions.

"See you in about two weeks Jiji. I'll bring Zabuza-san and Haku-kun with, kay. They can totally stay at my place!" Naruto shouted over his shoulder with an absent wave at the village leader. Sarutobi didn't say a word about the fact that the mission was only supposed to be a week long at the most.

With Naruto's questions and parting statement, Kakashi concluded he better pack the heavy artillery. This seemingly easy C-rank _they'd specifically_ requested had a far deeper meaning. He was sure of it.

"Kakashi-kun." Sarutobi began, just before the jonin followed his genin out the door.

"Hokage-sama." Kakashi replied.

"I just wanted to wish you luck. One of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist was named Momochi Zabuza, the Bloody Demon of the Mist. He is currently a missing-nin for hire, so have fun." Sarutobi answered cheerfully. "Our Asahi ANBU have been monitoring the actions of our neighbouring villages and they have flagged a situation in Wave to be of minor concern. That tag changed two days ago to be a more serious threat as a man named Gato hired Momochi. What their intentions are, were not clear."

Kakashi would have groaned, in another life time. But in this one, he had been pushed into training once again by Sasuke and Naruto's accusations that he could not protect them from forces outside the village. The words had struck deep and he'd taken them to heart, once again beginning the training regimen he'd preformed while in ANBU.

While he wasn't at peak condition, he was a lot closer to it today, than what he'd been the first time around. Only Kakashi was entirely unaware of that fact.

.0.0.0.

"Sensei?" Naruto asked, his tone going up several octaves just to be a nuisance, thoroughly annoying all those around him.

They knew, that this mission would have to be hurried more than usual. Their ANBU counterparts would be missed, so they had left clones to delay the Asahi ANBU's absence and would send clones ahead upon their return. It wasn't fool proof. But it would have to do, for now.

"Naruto?" Kakashi hummed.

"Duck." Naruto elaborated, not very much though.

Kakashi did duck, dodging the ninth kunai of the morning. Honestly, the efforts of the Demon brothers were quite pathetic.

"Aren't you going to take care of that?" Tazuna squeaked.

"Take care of what?" Sasuke drawled.

"Yeah, I don't see any bandits." Naruto yawned. "This is only a c-rank mission after all."

"I wonder what Ino-chan is doing right now." Sakura mused while Kakashi turned a page in his book.

They all saw Tazuna flinch but he didn't argue any further.

This time, when the Demon brothers jumped out and attacked from their genjutsu puddle, Sasuke had cast a genjutsu of his own, leaving the two brothers to stumble around in confusion as they wondered if they'd perhaps mistimed their grand entrance and missed their target.

Kakashi, from that point on, figured that somehow, his cute little genin knew more about this mission than what they were letting on, and the possibility of meeting Zabuza along the way was highly possible. Even if the information they'd garnered as Asahi said as much. There were just little things, as Iruka has said, things that they just knew.

Also by this point, even Kakashi knew without a doubt that Tazuna was lying about the mission but no one said a word about it. They didn't even try to get him to admit it. There wasn't any use because whether it was stated out loud or not, the mission would still get done, mostly because they were Konoha-nin and they wouldn't have abandoned the man, no matter if he had lied or not.

Then was also the small but rather significant fact that they were the Asahi ANBU. Zabuza was going to be in for one hell of a ride if he did decide to attack.

It was in that moment that the Demon Brothers decided on another direct attack. Kakashi very nearly choked when the two boys kept walking, Naruto nudging the client, while Sakura stayed behind, smiling very sweetly at the two ninja who were trying to decide whether to kill her first and go after Tazuna, or kill Tazuna and ignore her.

"Sensei?" Sakura began, "What are things like in Kiri at the moment? They seem to have an awful lot of missing-nin."

"Well, they're either currently under or were recently relieved from the command of their Yondaime. He isn't a very nice Kage." Kakashi shrugged, wondering if he should step in but also curious to see what the girl would do.

Sakura pondered his words for a moment before pulling out a scroll and summoning a small tea set in the middle of the road.

"Would you like some tea?" She asked politely to the stunned Demon brothers. "We can talk all about it over some nice muffins."

While she spoke a steady stream of potent killing intent filled the air, yet her smile never faulted. What was the killing intent for? Scaring the brothers away or scaring them into accepting.

"Sakura." Sasuke had paused to drawl over his shoulder. "We don't have time for tea. That brat Inari wants his grandfather back, alive."

Kakashi was amused when the old bridge builder choked on that last one. Just another mystery to add to the ever growing pile.

"Walk with me, if you don't mind. I know a Yamanaka, and they're sort of like Konoha's therapeutic ninja clan. Whenever anyone feels like they need to get something off their chest, they go to the Yamanaka and everything is all better." Sakura continued, reluctantly sealing away her tea set.

For the life of him, Kakashi couldn't figure out why Sakura was the one interested in the brothers and not either of the two boys. He'd have thought they'd be interested in fighting the brothers.

Sakura's polite conversational ramble cut off when one of the brothers, evidently having had enough of the pinkette, tried to divorce her head from her shoulders.

Sasuke didn't take much of a liking to that, and promptly walked over to the ninja and swiftly kicked his backside. Just like that. No fancy jutsu, no flashy words. Only a kick.

A powerful one at that.

"You will show my teammate some respect, insolent mutt." Sasuke ordered imperiously while the ninja both gapped at him in surprise.

Sakura was ignoring all this, examining her pink strands that had gotten nicked as she'd moved out of the way. The long hair, while beautiful, was rather unpractical in Kakashi's opinion. He'd said as much once and he'd received a glare worse than anything Sasuke had ever given him as well as a snapped "Kurenai-sensei has long hair and so does Jiraiya of the Sanin."

Practical or not, Kakashi could not fault her in her logic, glad that she hadn't tried to bring Tsunade into that either.

The days were indeed pitiful when he, a genius of levels not seen before in Konoha, was bested by a twelve year old kunoichi. He could count on one hand the number of people that were above him in skill. One hand!

But he as thinking that perhaps, it was time to start working on his other hand.

.0.0.0.

In the end, they'd crossed over into the Land of Waves with the Demon Brothers in tow. Kakashi seemed to be the only one who was watching them like a hawk. His genin weren't concerned at all, even going so far as to treat them civilly.

Tazuna, who was quite wide eyed by now, leaned over to the jonin to whisper, "Are enemy ninja always so friendly to each other?"

"No." Kakashi replied simply. "That's just my team." He shrugged. "Besides, if you watch carefully, you'll notice how Naruto poisoned them some time ago. Nothing lethal I imagine, but it does appear to be giving them hallucinations. See how they're twitching ever so slightly, their pupils quite large? They also react to seemingly nothing and Naruto and Sasuke are way too cheerful with the two." Kakashi explained quietly for the civilian client who seemed to become even more terrified than what he already was. The poor man had probably bargained on a nice, normal, possibly quiet team of ninja.

Naruto paused suddenly before lunging at Kakashi, Sasuke yanking on Tazuna muttering about fluffy white bunnies as he ducked to the ground.

"Neh, Sensei, you alright?" Naruto asked from his position atop Kakashi's chest.

"I'll feel loads better when you get off me." Kakashi replied with a slight wheeze. He was a lot lighter in his ANBU terror days when he was five. Now he had far too much equipment.

He hadn't missed the sword that had whizzed through the air, narrowly missing Sakura and Naruto's heads as they'd taken the longest to get down.

"Let me guess." Kakashi began drily. "That was Zabuza's blade?"

.0.0.0.

When the team returned to Konoha, Kotetsu and Izumo nearly choked when not four but eight ninja walked through the gate.

It started with Sakura, gently patting an unknown ninja's arm with a sympathetic, "There, there." While another unfamiliar ninja was sobbing onto the first ninja's shoulder.

Then came Naruto, chatting happily with a ninja they weren't sure was a girl or a boy. Either way, the Shinobi wasn't a Leaf ninja and they exuded power despite the polite smile on his or her face.

Then came a smug looking Sasuke, balancing a large broad sword on his shoulder as easily as though it were a twig with a moping Jonin following him making soft barely heard whimpers. The jonin made a move to get the sword back but the moment he did, Sasuke smacked him on the head with the flat of the sword, tsking softly and saying "Bad Zabuza. Your time out has been lengthened."

Lastly, came an entirely unaffected Kakashi, nose stuck in a book and emitting a perverted giggle as he turned the page.

Kotetsu and Izumo gapped with wide eyes at the whole thing, sorely tempted to ditch their shift and head over to the Mission Room just to see how well this would go down.

But a look from Hatake and they knew that they shouldn't even dare try it. And it looked like it would've been so much fun too.

.0.0.0.

To say that the Sandaime was surprised wouldn't have been entirely accurate. He was mostly expecting the outcome of Team 7's mission and was now faced with the decision of what to do with the four missing-nin from Kiri that Kakashi's little genin had decided to drag home like strays. He was a little surprised with the manner in which the ninja were presented to him. In fact it was comical. But with the power that those three 'genin' possessed it was hardly out of the ordinary. All ninja developed their quirks.

"Haku-kun can stay with me!" Naruto immediately volunteered.

"Of course Zabuza-Sama must be allowed to stay as well." Haku stressed at the blond.

"These two traumatised Shinobi should be seeing a psych-nin, Hokage-sama." Sakura insisted, gesturing to the two quietly sobbing Demon Brothers.

Sasuke perked up at that. He had up till then, been teasing Zabuza about his sword while Zabuza muttered how much he hated the Uchiha under his breath.

"Allow me." He stated cheerfully before he swung the sword at the two brothers, fully intending on decapitating them.

Sakura stopped the blade with one hand and a glare directed at the Uchiha who instantly backed off.

Sarutobi remained unaffected, much the same as Kakashi, while he wrote down his final say upon a scroll before throwing it at Kakashi.

Kakashi caught it and read it before nodding and directing his attention to the Demon Brothers. "Despite my cute little Kunoichi's attachment to her new pets, like any parent I must insist upon putting my foot down. Sakura-chan has yet to learn the discipline it takes in order to properly care for a pet. As such, you two may stay the night in Konoha and then leave whenever you feel up to it. But you will not be joining Konoha's ninja ranks."

The Demon Brothers, for some reason, looked utterly delighted. It might have been the fact that whenever Sakura wasn't looking, the two were forced to endure Naruto and Sasuke's boredom. Or it might have been their utter terror of Sakura, who despite her good intentions, was completely horrible at making someone feel better.

"As for Haku and Zabuza, if you so wish, Hokage-sama has agreed to allow you into our ranks, under Naruto-kun's responsibility. You'll be staying in his complex and will have to rely on him to get you sorted." Kakashi continued. "Sasuke-kun has also graciously agreed to help you get settled."

Zabuza stiffened at that last bit, but both of them were quite happy to stay in Konoha, for the time being. Naruto had mentioned a renegade group in Kiri, attempting to overthrow the Yondaime and Zabuza was instantly all about listening to them, rather than Gatou, whom he happily killed. He seemed rather delighted in fact, that he wasn't going to die at the hands of genin after he'd been thoroughly beaten by Naruto and Sasuke, and was being offered a chance to see his goal come to fruition. He had even thought about leaving for Kiri but Yondaime was still in charge so Haku was at a disadvantage there.

Still, this arrangement was better than what he'd been expecting and truth be told he was just grateful he was alive. Sharingan no Kakashi seemed to be awfully attached to his genin team, obliging their every whim no matter how absurd it was.

"Sasuke-kun, give Zabuza-san back his toy. It's not nice to take from others." Kakashi stated in a mock paternal scold while the genin in question pouted, an honest to Kami pout, before handing over Zabuza's sword.

Things were going to be interesting to say the least. Perhaps he and Haku could use this opportunity to train. Something they hadn't had much time for while on the run.

.0.0.0.

"Sasuke-teme." Naruto was breathless as he raced into the Uchiha's house via his slightly open window.

Said Uchiha had just gotten back from his Asahi ANBU shift at the ANBU headquarters and was just about to crawl into bed.

"What, Naruto-baka, what do you want?" he snapped moodily while Zabuza groaned in annoyance from the next room down the hall. The newly instated Konoha Jonin was quickly finding out that Kakashi's genin were anything but genin. For one thing, they never kept regular hours, not even regular ninja hours.

"I just realised, WE HAVE OUR FIRST KISSES AGAIN!" Naruto screamed, eyes wide and showing just how serious he was.

Sasuke, instead of yelling at the blond for his stupidity, cocked his head in consideration before nodding once in satisfaction. "Yes, because as far as we're concerned that other incident never happened and . . . in all technicalities it didn't. These lips are once again virginal. Ha!" Sasuke rubbed his hands gleefully. "Kabuto won't be able to tease me about it this time."

"Who says Kabuto's teasing you about anything." Naruto growled.

"What, it's a possibility." Sasuke replied innocently.

Naruto gave him the "I'm watching you." look before slowly turning away, eyes leaving Sasuke last with a final flick of two extended fingers towards the Uchiha and jumping out the window again. He decided for the sake of his sanity he would assume that Sasuke was working on 10 percent right now since he'd just come from a shift at the ANBU Headquarters.

However, any more mentions like that and he was personally going to hand the Uchiha over to Danzou for conditional training.

.0.0.0.

"Kakashi-kun, your team will have to be in the next chunin exams." Sarutobi stated suddenly, during a meeting, one that truthfully neither had been paying much attention to.

"What!? Whhhhhy?" Kakashi whined, having picked up far too many habits from his team. He hadn't been planning on nominating them, merely because they would pass and he didn't want that. Not yet.

"A report from the Asahi ANBU state that this chunin exam is going to hold a lot of powerhouse genin. Your team would benefit Konoha greatly, Hatake-san." Shikaku interrupted.

"And what about Shikamaru?" Kakashi deadpanned at the Nara.

"That is up to his sensei." Shikaku replied, indifferent to the jonin's pout.

"And what if I feel my genin are not ready!" Kakashi was now arguing for the sake of arguing. He knew, the Sandaime knew, and Shikaku knew, that Kakashi had no leg to stand on when it came to those particular words. Shikaku was in the know as much as Kakashi was but apparently not as much as his genin and the Sandaime. Those four knew something that Kakashi and Shikaku just could not figure out.

"Hang on . . . Just who are these Asahi ANBU and why was that division created." Chouza asked quietly.

"That is ss-rank information, Akimichi-san." Sarutobi replied. "As for why they were created, well there was a need."

That was a vague answer if ever there was one and Kakashi was glad he was in the know because he sure as hell would have hated an answer like that.

"Not even my operatives could find anything." Danzou muttered, low enough for only Kakashi who had the unfortunate pleasure of sitting next to him, to hear him.

Well at least their identities were secret. That was good. Naruto's seals were doing their job amazingly well if even Danzou couldn't figure out who they were.

"Are we at least allowed to know their skill level?" Inoichi asked.

"If you think knowing their rank will help you figure out who they are then you are mistaken. Their skill and their rank do not match so I could tell you that they're all S-rank but it's not going to help you." Sandaime replied casually.

Kakashi on the other hand choked.

_S-rank?_

What the hell?

He'd never even guessed as much. He'd been betting on high chunin, low jonin. Very low jonin.

Across the table he could see the usually calm and stoic Shikaku having a similar reaction.

"S-rank?" Kakashi managed to squeak out, still trying to clear his airways.

"Well Kakashi-kun, you wouldn't think I entrusted such a task to a bunch of genin, would you? Just try to imagine Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura attempting that which my Asahi ANBU do."

That was rubbing salt into the wound.

Now he had to wonder, how long had they been at s-rank because that would mean, they'd beaten Itachi and himself when it came to that department. What did Sarutobi know about those three?

Wait . . . . those brats had guilt tripped him into training again! They'd said they needed him to protect them from their enemies! What enemies? The fuzzy teddies in Sakura's room! Because it sure as hell wasn't Itachi!

"I'm still not nominating them for the chunin exams." Kakashi pouted, fuming silently.

"Hatake." Sarutobi began warningly. "That wasn't a request."

"No!" Kakashi replied childishly.

"I will confiscate your Icha Icha collection." Sarutobi threatened.

"N-No." Kakashi's reply wasn't as adamant but still pretty determined. Most were confused as to how Kakashi's genin would make all that much difference in the chunin exams. It was only one team, and a team that held the dead last as well.

"Hatake–" But the Sandaime's words were cut off as three genin puffed into the room with a loud chorus of "Sensei! We brings you a present."

Glaring at the silver haired jonin was a hog tied Tenzou, ANBU mask balanced on the side of his face. He probably would have said something, had he not been gagged.

Naruto hopped up onto the table in front of Kakashi, crouching down and smiling at the jonin in a creepy imitation of the infamous eye smile.

"We know how bored you get in these meetings so we brought you something amusing. He wiggles a lot though, and he tried to escape far too many times. So we paralysed him." He informed Kakashi cheerfully, as though genin taking on ANBU was an everyday occurrence.

"We remembered to feed him." Sakura stated sweetly, before pulling out a watering can and pouring some water on Tenzou's head. "See, I'm learning responsibility."

To Kakashi's surprise and utter amusement, a tiny tree sprouted on Tenzou's head. He'd never remembered that happening before. Was there something special in that water?

Kakashi noted that this time, the brats now had the bandanas tied around their necks rather than their arms. His gaze slid over to Sasuke who was rummaging around in his pouch for something. Deciding that he probably didn't want to know what the Uchiha was looking for, he shunshined over to Tenzou and smiled down at the ANBU.

"Need some help there, Ten-zou?" He placed special emphasise on the man's name, knowing how much it annoyed him. Tenzou only glared at him in response.

"Sensei!" Naruto screamed happily, the only warning he got before he found himself being glomped by the blond. "I learnt how to make miso soup today." Naruto informed him with a dopy smile on his face from his position on Kakashi's back.

"And I was trying to get Sasuke to let go of his tomato fetish. No luck." Sakura sighed, carefully 'feeding' Tenzou again, who was looking less and less amused by the second.

"Ah HA!" Sasuke yelled, dramatically whipping out a scroll. He unrolled it with a flourish before biting his thumb and summoning something into the room.

When the smoke cleared Kakashi found himself presented with the largest puppy eyes he had ever seen and a steaming bowl of what smelled like miso and eggplant soup. Was this Naruto's cooking?

"We brings you another present." Sasuke stated innocently, holding out the bowl and the puppy dog eyes widening.

Kakashi took the bowl because really, who could say no to that.

"Well, sensei, we have to go. There's that D-rank we're having trouble with and we thought that if we came to see you, inspiration would hit us. So far, all I have is chakra wire and timed exploding tags." Sakura stated mournfully, 'feeding' Tenzou one last time before grabbing Naruto and shunshining away. Kakashi tried not to imagine what sort of D-rank mission would require those items. He honestly didn't want to know this time.

Sasuke gave him one last wide smile before following them out the room.

It was utterly quiet for a moment and Kakashi took the second to put the steaming bowl of soup down where he was supposed to be sitting. Then there was a puff of smoke and he found himself under a pile of genin who were giggling and he was pretty sure Sasuke was trying to convince Naruto to make Kage Bunshin.

"Now that's a proper good bye." Naruto yelled before they disappeared again, leaving their sensei sprawled on the floor with a stupid smile on his face.

"I'm not nominating them for the chunin exam." He whispered quietly. How could he? When he'd lose all that.

Tenzou managed to finally free himself and walked over to him with a pout. "They were strangely hard to say no to when they asked me to comply with their elaborate plan to amuse you. That's all they were aiming for, amusing you. Naruto even asked me to teach him how to cook just so that they could bring you lunch as well." Tenzou paused. "It was strangely Sasuke's idea to have the tree." Then he grinned and held out a hand to the jonin. "I like them, Senpai . . . though, they keep calling me Yamato-Taichou."

"I'm definitely not nominating them for the chunin exams." Kakashi nodded to himself as he accepted Tenzou's hand and moved to his chair, ignoring the open mouthed gapes of disbelief.

But mostly, he ignored the Sandaime's look of regretful pity.

Taking a small spoonful of the soup, Kakashi had to conclude that Naruto's cooking skills were on par with his mother's. He'd happily eat anything that boy deemed to cook . . . well, most of the time. Something told him Naruto wouldn't always cook something normal.

.0.0.0.


	9. Chapter 9

**Beted by Jenny-Cat-Mioaw**

**Chapter 9**

Okami pouted beneath his mask as he stood in front of the Sandaime and Nara Shikaku.

"The chunin exam meeting is tomorrow, Okami-san. Your operatives will participate." Sarutobi stated tonelessly.

Okami did not say a word, did not bow. He merely stood there, pouting under his mask. He noticed the brief flash of regret in the old man's eyes. He saw the split second where Shikaku could not meet his gaze.

Okami did not reply, but orders were orders.

.0.0.0.

Naruto tilted his head to the side when he walked round a corner, faced with the sight of Kankuro man-handling Konohamaru.

Blinking slowly while he thought his options over, he approached the Shinobi leisurely.

"It's not very nice to assault the Hokage's grandson upon visiting said Hokage's village." Naruto drawled.

"What do you want, shrimp." Not really a question so much as a sneer of disgust.

"Naruto-dobe, let's play whack-a-foreign-genin!" Sasuke yelled right before he appeared directly in front of Kankuro, a sharp knee thrust right into the older boy's chin.

Naruto tsked before catching Konohamaru who'd been let go of rather abruptly.

The whimpering boy was all wide eyes and terrified squeals.

"Neh, Konohamaru-kun, don't you know you should watch where you're going?" Naruto growled playfully at the boy. "Especially since you're a ninja."

"Y-you, know, my, name." Konohamaru replied, his words slow and halting as though the very idea was a foreign one to him.

Naruto winked at the kid, noticing Ebisu trolling his way over. "Ask Jiji to put you in the Academy under Umino Iruka. He'll treat you like all the other kids, like Sarutobi Konohamaru, and not the Honourable Grandson."

He put the boy down while Sasuke taunted Kankuro and Temari. Neither of them were planning on being in the chunin exams this time around, feeling they'd get more done from the side lines rather than in the spotlight.

This time, Gaara merely watched, rather than interfering. His gaze was one of slight confusion because those two were different, too different. He didn't know what to make of them and that was a new experience for him.

When a third Konoha ninja showed up, a pink haired kunoichi, the two males stopped taunting Kankuro and walked away, as though they hadn't just been mooning the puppet user (back rears swaying tauntingly to some infuriating tune the two were singing at the top of their lungs), and by default his siblings as well. They acted completely gentlemanly, as they each took hold of one of the female's hands and walked away.

Gaara was so shocked and confused that he forgot to ask for their names.

.0.0.0.

When the genin nominated for the chunin exam entered the room for the first test, they weren't exactly expecting friendly smiles and good sportsmen's ship statements of good luck.

But the level of hostility in the room was astounding.

Genin from all villages and a large variety of age groups squashed themselves into the room, each trying to convey a sense of confident aggression. There were glares, snaps and snarls all round, mingled with wide eyed fear and silent whimpering of the less fortunate genin teams. A hostile situation to be sure, for anyone who was a genin of course.

A hostility that was broken when a pitiful wail cut through the air – a wail much like what a civilian child did when their parents sent them off to their first day of school – right before the door opened and a jonin walked in.

The jonin was from Konoha, had a thunder cloud above his head and the meanest look in his single visible eye to ever grace the genin in the room, Gaara and Kabuto included. A pink haired kunoichi was tucked under one arm, a black haired genin was sniffling tearfully on his back, and a wailing blond genin was attached to his leg. Gaara, Kankuro and Termari made a point of shuffling a little further away from the group, recognising the three genin instantly.

"I don't care, you have to come." The jonin ordered woodenly, continuing a conversation from earlier. "No amount of tantrums is going to change my mind."

"B-b-but sensei! I don't want to be a chunin!" The blond wailed out, eyes red and puffy, showing that he had been crying for quite some time now.

"Did I do something wrong?!" The black haired genin yelled out hysterically, eyes growing wide in horror and just as red and puffy as the blonde's "I was too emo wasn't I! I swear I'll smile more, I will! Just don't make me become a chunin!"

The jonin's cloud of doom seemed to grow even more.

"I don't want to have to cut my hair!" the kunoichi added pitifully. "The Sound Ninja are mean sensei. I don't wanna! I don't, I really, really don't."

The jonin muttered something under his breath as he plucked the blond off his leg and deposited him on the floor, doing the same for his by now also wailing teammates.

"Just take the test." The jonin stated just as woodenly as before. "And follow orders. End. Of. Discussion."

Most got the impression that those two statements were supposed to be the other way around. Most of the genin also found themselves wondering why these three were exempt from the rules of having to choose to come to the room as a team by themselves. Being delivered into the exam by one's sensei wasn't technically allowed. So that begged the question of, what did these three genin do to piss off their sensei that much?

Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro found themselves a tad more interested in the trio, since they had gotten more acquainted with the three the previous day. Not every Shinobi could say they'd had the pleasure (unfortunate pleasure) of seeing Uchiha Sasuke's, milky, exposed rear end. Not that Gaara could compete in the complexion department what with being a ginger and all.

The black haired genin's bottom lip quivered before he shuffled over to the jonin who had turned and was walking with stiff jerky motions towards the door. The boy tugged on his shirt and the jonin paused.

"Sensei, I was going to show you today, something I was working on_ all _night."

The cloud of doom lifted slightly, only slightly, and the jonin paused to consider the genin. The boy raised a hand and titled his head band over his left eye, a clear imitation of his sensei's head band. He then pushed it back up again and opened the previously closed lid to reveal a blood red, spinning Sharingan eye.

"See, one, just like yours." The now identified Uchiha sniffed.

There was a pause before suddenly the jonin was crying as well, throwing his arms around the Uchiha who cried even harder.

"Screw orders! Come here you two. Let's get out of here while we still can." The jonin blubbered and the two other genin glomped on him before the four of them disappeared in a shunshin. Silence thundered in the room, all eyes watching the leaves from the Shunshin flutter to the floor.

"Did you guys see that too?" A Konoha genin of the same age asked another, probably a teammate, in a loud whisper of utter disbelief.

"Was that really Team 7?" Another muttered with wide eyes.

"I thought Sasuke-kun would be itching to take the exams. What the hell!" A blond girl screamed in outrage. "What the hell did Hatake do to them!?"

Hatake? As in Hatake Kakashi? As in Sharingan no Kakashi?

The one eye Sharingan thing suddenly made so much more sense and the genin found themselves much more relieved that they didn't have to take a test with genin trained by Hatake Kakashi, never mind ones that appeared to have gone off the deep end of the Kunai.

That relief was short lived when a wall of ice formed in the middle of the room and four hogtied ninja were kicked through by a strangely feminine looking boy.

"My deepest apologies, Uzumaki Naruto, but orders are orders." The boy stated with a bow before leaving through the mirror.

The blond wiggled in his bonds, screaming something no one could make out through his gag.

What was so special about that team that they had to be _ordered _to take the chunin exams?

Large blue eyes looked up pleadingly at the other Konoha genin across the room. It was the Nara that eventually gave in and cautiously approached.

"There's a note on your back Naruto. Want me to read it for you?"

Naruto paused for a moment before nodding.

"Don't try to escape, we've sealed the room. Have a nice exam, love Jiji."

An explosion of angry blue chakra from the blond had the Nara backing away while he was pretty sure it was curses flying from Naruto's mouth. Then the blond seemed to catch himself and stopped his raging chakra, forcing it to a cool simmer. Well long enough for the Nara to untie them.

"What the HELL! That old man is going to PAY! There will be A RETRIBUTION!" The statement was met with many unseen shivers from the ANBU guards ordered to make sure Team 7 remained in the room.

"I think I'll help this time." Kakashi promised darkly and many of the ANBU considered abandoning their posts.

"A thousand years of death will seem too nice when I'm through with that old geezer." Ah, there was the Uchiha they all knew and loved.

"I'm going to GO ALL TORA ON HIS ASS!" Sakura screeched, making many of the Konoha genin want to dive out the doors. They'd all heard about what Team 7 had done to the most well-paying D-rank mission. Rumour had it, Tora had yet to regrow his fur.

Kakashi shook his head before attempting to shunshin out the room, only to be met with a barrier and bounce straight back into the room.

"Time for planning." Naruto announced and the four then proceeded to hunker down with their heads together and whisper amongst themselves, the sense of foreboding only growing with every second that passed.

"You guys don't seem very eager to be in the chunin exams, huh?" A shaky voice asked with as much concern as could be conveyed when one was technically more worried about their own continued existence.

As one, four blank, creepy stares were turned to the speaker.

Then the kunoichi began to smile; a slow secretive smile.

"Yakushi Kabuto." Naruto identified, his tone robotic.

"A genin who's failed the chunin exams seven times." Sasuke continued.

Sakura had disappeared from her spot with the others only to reappear with a familiar looking deck of cards in her hand.

"If I call it, then we burn these and forget they exist." Sakura stated, holding up a deck of cards that Kabuto recognised as his own.

"If I call it, then we look at what's on them." Sasuke grinned wolfishly.

"If I call it then we let him have them back and continue as we're supposed to, no fuss, no escape plans." Naruto offered but not smiling about it.

"And if I call it, then we're going to call in Okami-san." Kakashi drawled.

The deck of cards were placed in a bubbled of chakra that was left to float in the air, just out of reach. Sakura then pulled out her ninja cards and shuffled them. Dividing them into four she handed one to each person.

Every ninja in the room tensed when the four began to rapidly flip over the cards, following a set of rules only they seemed to understand.

"Called it!" Naruto and Kakashi yelled at the same time.

"Again." Sakura replied, shaking her head.

When the next pair of cards came round, Kakashi and Naruto found themselves suspended by chakra wire while Sasuke smirked and drawled. "Called it."

The cards were handed to Naruto and he was told to break the seal on them.

He did so in five seconds, while Kabuto's mouth opened and closed like a fish.

"Gaara-kun, Inuzuka Kiba, Yamanaka Ino, Hyuga Neji, Dosu Kinuta . . ." Sasuke read out as he went from card to card.

"AHHHH, Hatake Kakashi." Sasuke whistled appreciatively. "Now that is one impressive résumé sensei."

"Thank you, thank you. What can I say, I try." Kakashi gushed with mock bows, causing the ANBU in the room to blink in surprise. This was their fellow operative?

"Ooooo Uzumaki Naruto. Listed here as the Academy's worst student. Buuuuuuut Uzumaki Naruto has performed 212 D-rank missions, 57 B-rank missions, 13 A-rank missions, and 8 S-rank missions. And his skill level has been listed as unknown but possibly A-rank. Wow, this information sucks." Sasuke read out loud while Naruto burst out laughing.

"I guess Jiji was serious when he said he was going to start ranking my pranks." Naruto managed to say between laughs.

But there was a sinister undertone to his words. Team 7 had known there was a leak in intelligence, and in fact the 'genin' had known Kabuto was one of them, but this was a scale of proportions that not even Danzou had cracked yet. These particular cards however, had been slightly altered by Naruto before he'd handed them to Sasuke. They now showed a more accurate report but still lacking in information. Still Naruto has seen the original level of infiltration and that was worrisome.

Kakashi pulled the next card and read over Sakura's statistics. "Says here you're a medic nin on par with Tsunade of the Sanin with a chakra storage of three gems. Also, you have a nasty right hook." He informed the pinkette drily.

"Really?!" Sakura gushed with stars in her eyes.

"Oo o ooo what does mine say?" Sasuke asked, practically hopping. Ino was almost going into cardiac arrest.

"Possible ally to missing-nin Uchiha Itachi." Kakashi read and Sasuke beamed. "A fully mastered Sharingan at five. – Five Sasuke, really?" To which the Uchiha shrugged. "Never attended the Academy after the Uchiha massacre and was substituted with a henged Uzumaki Kage Bunshin. Noted that Uzumaki and Uchiha are on par with each other in skill. Sensei, Hatake Kakashi, noted as much but has as of yet not tested his genin to deduce their true skill level."

"Wow, sensei, you're a better teacher than we thought." Naruto stated appreciatively. He turned to the stunned Kabuto. "Are you sure these are accurate?"

Kabuto was pale, sweating bullets and looking as though he was about to drop. Instead he made a frantic grab for the cards, searching through them until he found Team 7's. His eyes scanned over the words before his entire posture relaxed, the words having been returned to normal the moment Kabuto touched them. It didn't hurt to shake the man's composure.

"Oh man, did you see his face! He almost believed that it was real!" Naruto yelled before bursting out laughing. When his team joined him, all genin in the room felt like this was going to be a long chunin exam, far, far too long.

They didn't understand that Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura were trying to unbalance the traitor. Shake up the world he'd come to deem as rock solid. They wanted to keep him on edge, perhaps get him to make a mistake.

No one really realised that Kabuto hadn't said a word about his cards yet the genin and their sensei had already known all about them. No one really questioned that no signs of lying could be detected while the four had been speaking. And the Sand Siblings definitely did their best to forget that Gaara's name had been suffixed with a kun.

.0.0.0.

Morino Ibiki was a man of many talents.

Baby-sitting a pouting S-rank ninja was not one of them. Hatake Kakashi was not one to disobey orders and this had to be his first.

Still, Ibiki was inclined to agree with the jonin on this one. For some reason, forcing genin to take the chunin exam just didn't sit well with the Interrogation Specialist.

Those brats had tried their hardest to get disqualified but the proctors had been instructed to make sure the brats advanced, ergo turn a blind eye to anything they did and sometimes that included taking out other participants via sabotaging their cheating methods.

Something was up, something those Asahi ANBU had instigated and for some reason Team 7 had been thrust into the middle of it all.

As it was, they were all glaring at him, even Kakashi. He'd been glared at before, by stronger whelps than Academy Rookies, but he just couldn't shake the feeling that they were planning his death; a horrible, painful death . . . and that they'd succeed.

As it was, his hidden ANBU had had a job of it trying to safely deflect every kunai and shuriken they threw at him. Didn't they ever run out?

A slow smirk from the Uchiha was all the warning he got before he found himself being attacked by the very same kunai that had just been deflected.

A glint in the light informed him that chakra wire was being artfully utilised. Smart, very smart.

As for the other genin, the ones taking the test, well they were just relieved that Team 7 didn't seem particularly interested in passing their test and happily overlooked the blatant ignoring of their obvious cheating methods, or rather lack of cheating and just all out chaos. If the brats didn't write anything, they didn't pass, right?

If they got disqualified, no one was really complaining apart from Hinata and Ino.

And Orochimaru of course.

Kakashi huffed and slunk further in his seat, not even able to pull out an Icha Icha book. Turned out, when the Sandaime threatened someone, he meant it.

"Meh, Sensei." Naruto stated loudly, making the frantically cheating genin in the room jump. Naruto, in his boredom, had pulled his bandana across his face in a mockery of Kakashi's mask.

"Yes, Naruto-kun." Kakashi replied, eager for a distraction.

"I have Icha Icha books. I was going to give them to you for your birthday buuuuut I guess I can give them to you now." Naruto continued casually, "But I'll only give them to you if you teach me that verse of the log you were muttering earlier."

By the evil gleam in Naruto's eye, Kakashi knew the boy was up to something and he was all too inclined to go along with him.

"Praise be to the log." Kakashi's own evil smirk was hidden by his mask. "And the Willow sayeth unto the ninja: Wherefore dost I weep? Tis tears of joy, as thy kin and mine together fell thine foes, who would bring the axe and torch to the wood."

Ibiki's eyes widened as Hatake spoke, his voice moving into a lulling tone of fervent respect and awe.

"_**NO! Oh no! Not one of THOSE NINJA!"**_ Ibiki's panicked thoughts knocked around in his mind but Kakashi was still going.

"The log ist thine ally, and mine kin. Calling upon the log, is to call upon me. To aid thee in battle, I weep my tear of joy. And the ninja spoke: Yea, thee and thine kin shall forever be blessed among me and mine kin, for thine bravery will never be forgotten. From the Book of the Log, Song of the Willow, verses 1-4."

"Amen." Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura stated adamantly, tears streaming down their faces in a freakish mockery of what Gai-sensei and Rock Lee looked like after their own bonding sessions.

What Ibiki had feared came to pass when every ANBU in the room, the ones supposed to be hiding, said AMEN, even more fervently than what Kakashi had been speaking. ANBU were known for their eccentricities, and one of them was their obsessive fixation on the Log. Figured Kakashi would be at Pope status and therefore a Preacher of the religion.

Just what the hell was Kakashi teaching those brats?

"Speak more of thy Holy Log!" Sasuke commanded, catapulting himself out of his seat and towards the jonin, kneeling down in front of Kakashi and looking to him with awe. Then the Uchiha boy bowed low, "Teach me, oh Holy Prophet of the Goodness that is LOG!"

By now, the test was entirely forgotten, as heads were turned towards the silver haired jonin rather than their test papers. Ibiki could only sigh.

.0.0.0.

Anko's big entrance had happened some time ago, but she'd managed to crash in right when Kakashi had started another verse from the Holy Book of Log.

"As the Log takes your place, you become the Log. The Log becomes you. For a moment, you are an extension of the Log's blessing unto ninja. Chronicle of the replacement, verse 3."

"AMEN!" Anko screamed, seriously considering kidnapping the jonin she was informed she'd be babysitting and having her way with him.

It didn't matter that the room seemed too full of genin, or that the ANBU were crowded around Kakashi like children around a story teller, eagerly awaiting his next wise word on the Log. It didn't matter that the next test was supposed to have started an hour ago.

All that mattered was that the man kept talking.

Kakashi's genin had henged into cats and were now lounging upon their sensei, one on his head, sleeping quite peacefully, another on his lap whom he stroked absently and other perched carefully on his shoulder.

"MORINO!"

The head proctor of the First Exam, jumped, having been the most enraptured with Kakashi's words and turned his head to the ANBU Commander, the man who had absolutely no patience for the Log and perhaps that had been the reason he'd come and not someone else.

"Wrap up your exam and get moving." The man snapped, killing intent flooding the room.

As Ibiki gave the last question, having had to work the brats up into a frenzy, Naruto slipped his sensei a scroll. A scroll that was hastily stowed away. Ahh, Icha Icha, life was good.

.0.0.0.

Anko prided herself in being a generally all round creepy kunoichi, and most Shinobi would whole heartedly agree with her. However . . .

She never imagined that she'd meet her match in a trio of sulking genin and one pouting jonin. It seemed that Kakashi wasn't allowed to be on his own today. Orders from the top. How the old man expected mere chunin and mere jonin to keep that man in check was beyond the kunoichi. In fact she was pretty sure that they were only still here because they wanted to be, sort of, in a very roundabout way and at a looooong stretch. She was also pretty sure that they could indeed escape if they wanted to. It was just in the silent way they carried themselves.

Still, as she stood in front of the genin that had passed, she had to wonder, just why the old man wanted those three in the exams. They, and everyone else, had been quite dismayed to learn that sticking around for the tenth question had meant an automatic pass. They'd been waiting to see if their blank tests would get them thrown out.

They should have known that if their blatant methods of information gathering wouldn't have gotten them kicked out, then a blank test paper would not have either.

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura had been hoping by some small miracle that Ibiki's test was different this time, since they hadn't gotten kicked out for cheating, and were sorely disappointed when it wasn't.

"Alright, behind me is what we call the Forest of Death, and for good reason–" Anko began, giving her best creepy grin just to rile the brats up, but she was cut off when Naruto yawned loudly before drawling "Meh, just get on with the rules. If it was a park of fluffy bunnies this wouldn't be a chunin exam now would it."

Anko swore there was actual steam coming out of her ears as she tossed a kunai at him.

He didn't even wince, not even when the blood dripped down his face.

That, however, seemed to have been a mistake.

"MITARASHI!"

Anko jerked in surprise at the sharp growl that was directed at her. Never before had she heard Hatake Kakashi direct that tone of voice to anyone, not even the enemy. And she had tried to get that man to lose his cool, often. But he'd never, not once, given in to the raging impulse to attack her.

Until now.

She backed away, rather than approach the genin as she'd been planning. Never mind that he was the one that had been rude first. It didn't seem to matter to the silver haired jonin who casually dug around in the _genin's_ pouch, looking for something while the genin huffed at him.

When the hell had the Sandaime ever thought it was a good idea to force Kakashi into this? Kakashi, now that Anko was paying attention, now that she was seeing past Kakashi's moody pout at not getting his own way, was_ terrified_ of losing his genin.

The gentle caress as he applied the healing ointment to the boy's grazed cheek, the way he'd been sticking close to them since the whole exam had started, his terrible mood at having to nominate them in the first place. Her relationship with Orochimaru had never been anything close to something like that.

She'd heard about their team photo, their hidden attributes displayed so fully on the square of coloured ink, yet no one had been allowed to see that photo. The Hokage had made sure of it.

She'd heard about the meeting they'd crashed, bringing Tenzou with them, and all the other little oddities they'd shown since becoming Kakashi's team.

The way they were with each other, it was deeper than anything she'd ever seen before and the Hokage's decision to force the chunin exams upon them, force them into the third round, seemed so cruel.

Right now, she saw that what she'd originally assumed was Kakashi's belief that his genin were not skilled enough, was in fact so far from the truth. They were plenty skilled. In fact, they were unconsciously, the most skilled team in this exam.

Blinking, she watched as Sasuke and Sakura hovered near their sensei, pointing to other teams and laughing at something or other. Kakashi turned a weakly protesting Naruto's face to the light so that he could better see the blonde's cut. While the boy might have been protesting, he didn't move away. He didn't even try to swat the jonin's hand away either.

How on earth was she going to keep the jonin away from his team while they were in the forest?

Wait . . . 'letting' him out of her sight for a few seconds would be all he'd need to slip into the forest and automatically, undisputedly, disqualify his team. Sure, the Hokage would probably demote her, but she couldn't, not now, stand in his way.

With a soft smile, almost non-existent smile, Anko decided to let Team 7 do what they wanted. She wasn't going to stand in their way.

"Excuse me, Proctor-san. I believe this is yours."

Anko sneered at the grass-nin that handed her the kunai she'd thrown earlier. She snatched the kunai from the genin and resumed her speech, obliging Naruto's request and sticking to the rules. He was practically correct after all. If these brats thought this was going to be easy they had no business being chunin.

She didn't notice that the genin of Team 7 hadn't removed their attention from the grass-nin that had handed her the kunai back.

.0.0.0.

"Sensei, it's alright. We'll do this round, and then we'll forfeit in the third, kay." Sakura stated just before they were to enter the exam venue.

"You three sure?" Kakashi asked. He wasn't worried about their skill being insufficient. He was more worried about them being too skilled, passing and then becoming chunin where they were no longer 'his' anymore.

"Hai, hai." Naruto grinned with a nod. "We're kicking it Kakashi style this exam."

That being said, the blond boy focused his chakra before henging into an outfit that resembled Kakashi's. He then tilted his headband over his eye and smiled at his sensei.

"I'll see you three at the Tower." Kakashi stated with a nod before shunshinning over to where he knew the other jonin to be, a place he'd vehemently protested to going to earlier that morning.

"Why the sudden change of heart Hatake?"

"They asked me nicely if they could beat the crap out of your genin." Kakashi sneered in reply. "I was inclined to let them."

"Why the hell is the Hokage making you enter anyway?" Asuma asked with a heavy frown, completely disappointed with the way his father had handled the situation.

"Because, there are certain things I cannot give to genin. Chunin, however, are another matter entirely." The Sandaime interrupted as he entered the room.

"Why didn't you tell me about it in the first place?" Kakashi snapped.

"Because they haven't told you everything yet. They're close, but not yet."

"Did they tell you?" Kakashi demanded, having no patience for the old man.

"No. But it's my job to know things. I know more than what they realise that I know, but less than what they do." Sarutobi sighed, moving to the other side of the room and away from the other jonin. Kakashi took the hint and followed him.

"They won't be taken from you Kakashi. Not yet. I had been planning on making Team 7 an official team, not a sensei-student squad." Sarutobi stated quietly. "I just need them to be chunin."

"Why not give them a promotion out of the exams." Kakashi asked but he already knew the answer to that question.

"Because it would be suspicious. They already draw attention, most of it mere eccentricities but to reveal their true strength? They're aware that they must hide and by making them take part in something so public, it will force them to hide just a little longer." Sarutobi replied all the same. "The day, however, will come where they will need to show the world who they are. And right now, there is too much riding on their participation. That Gaara genin, how many of the genin that entered the forest do you think will be able to survive against him? Or that Kabuto genin, the one we've uncovered as a spy for my deranged former student? That boy has to at least be at jonin level. We need your team to counter those the others cannot."

"You should have told me." Kakashi replied quietly.

"I know, but you weren't willing to listen to things your mind has already deduced but your heart has tuned out. I was going to explain but you were so adamant in your refusal that I had no choice but to order you to comply until you'd calmed down enough to ask me why. I am glad, that you have found peace once again Kakashi-kun. However, looking at the changes young Sasayaku-kun has made to the financial allocations, I can only assume that nothing is going to be very pleasant for the Leaf in the near future. I need you to be prepared for that possibility, Kakashi-kun, and that is why I need them to be chunin. There's only so much I can do with genin and sooner or later, everyone will figure out the Asahi's true identities."

.0.0.0.

"_Aniki!" Sasuke yelled out happily as he ran through the house, completely ignoring all the rules that forbid such wild behaviour. _

"_Otouto?" Itachi asked, looking up from where he was preparing to go out to deliver a message to the ninja cats for the Uchiha clan. _

"_I'm not going to school today! I'm going with you." Sasuke announced proudly. _

"_Oh?" Itachi questioned with a light smile. _

"_We're going to chase the cats around, and take impressions of their paw prints!" Sasuke continued racing around his brother in happy circles. "I'm going to get more than you!" The six year old continued in a sing song tone. _

"_Alright Otouto, I'll hold you to that. Whoever loses has to sharpen all the kunai." Itachi chuckled at the challenge his little brother had issued him, wondering just who would win. _

"_We have to get lots! And get a paw impression from all of them!" Sasuke yelled as he grabbed his shoes and followed his brother out the door, completely ignoring his mother who called in confusion that his lunch for the Academy was ready. _

_Itachi smiled at that, trying to imagine the large proud cats readily giving over their paw impressions to the young Uchiha boy. It sure was going to be interesting. _

"Sasuke?"

Said Uchiha turned towards Naruto who tilted his head in concern. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes. I was just thinking about Itachi, that's all." Sasuke replied, hand unconsciously moving to his pouch where he kept his older brother's headband at all times. It was reassuring to him, to have that small reminder of his brother's true loyalties. There would never be that awful, untrue slash through the leaf symbol.

"Alright. Oh, we haven't really spoken about it, but what do we plan to do about snake-teme?" Naruto left the topic of Sasuke's brother alone, knowing just how depressed it could make the Uchiha. "Do we kill him in the forest, during the exams, or after that, when he goes to find Tsunade-Baachan?"

Sasuke smirked. "When presented with three options, one must play."

Sakura grinned as well before pulling out a deck of cards.

While it was all fun and games for now, they knew that sooner or later they had to get serious. It was easy to play around when the world around them was still so at peace, when their fellow classmates were in the budding youth of their genin days. But sooner or later, the Akatsuki was going to intrude and puncture that happy bubble.

One couldn't really blame the three for taking advantage of the fun while they had the opportunity.

.0.0.0.

When Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura stumbled into the tower five days later, Kakashi nearly had a heart attack. Firstly he hadn't expected them to take that long and secondly, they looked like they'd been run over by a barrage of Naruto's Kage Bunshin, repeatedly, several times.

As it was, they were all slightly singed, their general appearance looking very frazzled, dark rings under their eyes with exhaustion stamped across their features and their clothes in tatters.

"Sensei, we tried to bring you a present but it kept running away." Naruto mumbled as he saluted the jonin who was busy freaking out, making soft high pitched sounds of distress.

"It bit me." Sasuke whined, a hand tiredly moving to his neck where Kakashi's felt his heart literally freeze in his chest.

A curse mark!?

Sasuke mumbled something under his breath, leaning on Naruto for support.

"Stupid ninja started off by eating our scroll so we had to get it back." Naruto grumbled while Kakashi moved to catch the exhausted Sasuke.

All three of them appeared as though they were about to drop from exhaustion but the moment Kakashi moved to catch Sasuke, he got close enough to feel that their chakra was anything but depleted. It was as though they had indeed been in battle but they were hiding their true strength, in a mask of weariness.

Looking at Sasuke's curse mark though, Kakashi couldn't help the echo of the Sandaime's words that fluttered through his mind.

"_However, looking at the changes young Sasayaku-kun has made to the financial allocations, I can only assume that nothing it going to be very pleasant for the Leaf in the near future. I need you to be prepared for that possibility, Kakashi-kun, and that is why I need them to be chunin."_

He made the three sit down while he fussed over them, poking them for details. They replied mostly with ANBU codes and Kakashi was glad he'd taken the time to teach it to them. So Orochimaru was here and he was after Sasuke, more accurately his Sharingan.

The genin had wounded the snake somewhat before retreating but not before Sasuke had gotten bitten.

Naruto signed to Kakashi that he could seal the curse mark and Kakashi nodded his consent. He trusted Naruto's sealing ability whole-heartedly and knew that Naruto would probably have something better in mind than what he had had. He just wondered why Sasuke had a curse mark at all. S-rank ninja shouldn't get caught up in Orochimaru's traps. He was sure, that they had a perfectly logical explanation though.

"Ah, Hatake-san?" A chunin asked hesitantly as he approached. The jonin turned to the Shinobi, waiting for his message.

"The Hokage says they have to begin now."

Kakashi's gaze slide to the three genin and they shrugged at him before getting to their feet and making a huge show of shuffling to the large doors. Kakashi sighed as he remembered that he'd forgotten to read the inscription on the wall for them but he had a feeling they already knew the message it provided all the same.

He shunshined onto the balcony that overlooked the arena the genin were to have a preliminary match in, while his team moved to the centre of the room with the others.

"Brats looking a little worse for wear there, eh Kakashi?" Asuma drawled, giving the three down below a speculative look.

"What can I say, they had fun." Kakashi shrugged. "Your brats look pretty alright."

"I bet they stayed out of trouble while they could and got a scroll when it was most convenient." Asuma shook his head. "They blubbered something about shaking ground and explosive jutsus going off everywhere but I was watching from the monitors. They calmed down when they noticed they were here though."

Must have been the fight with Orochimaru. Kakashi wondered if anyone had actually seen that fight.

Down below, Naruto and Sasuke appeared to be causing some commotion and Kakashi grinned proudly. Kami knew he loved those genin. Especially since everyone was looking to him like it was his fault or something.

.0.0.0.

Naruto twitched slightly as he was forced to endure the torture of the pre-preliminary speech, again. He just wanted it to start already.

". . .so that means if there are any of you here that feel they cannot participate, you should step out now." Hayate stated calmly, eyes travelling to Team 7 automatically.

Naruto growled lowly when Sasuke leaned closer to him and whispered gleefully, and he was sure there was a smirk in there as well, "That means you, Dobe. I doubt you'll be able to handle these brats, not with your condition."

"My condition?" Naruto hissed. "Speak for yourself."

Speaking of . . . he had told Kaka-sensei that he'd seal that blasted mark.

Moving a hand to his kunai pouch was a move not unmissed by Sasuke who struck out at him. Naruto dodged and grabbed the Uchiha's arm, using his own momentum to flip him over and into a painful back bending hold. Naruto smirked as he pressed the kunai to Sasuke's neck, near the mark.

"Don't be such a whuss, Sasuke-kun." Naruto taunted. "It'll only hurt for a minute or so."

Sasuke used a replacement jutsu, only to try and attack Naruto from behind. Naruto sighed, twirling the kunai impatiently as he figured this little display pretty much shot their exhausted genin image to pieces. If only Sasuke had played nice.

Sasuke might have been able to move quickly, but Naruto had learnt some time ago, something Sasuke was still having a hard time accepting, that Naruto moved faster.

Grabbing the Uchiha's ankle he slammed the other boy down on the ground, hard. He was sure everyone in the room flinched at that. But Sasuke was merely annoyed.

Naruto tsked at him before throwing six kunai that pinned the Uchiha to the ground, the Uchiha Clan Symbol on his back proudly displayed.

Naruto walked over to the other's head and cheerfully ruffled his hair. "See Sasuke-kun. You should listen to me more often."

"Don't you dare Naruto!" Sasuke warned. "You have no idea how much it fucking hurts."

"Man up, Uchiha." Naruto shrugged, already moving through the hand signs. Sasuke didn't struggle because Naruto had so kindly placed a kunai a hair's breath from certain nether regions and Sasuke actually did want to restore his clan.

Naruto's happy grin was replaced by a frown of concentration right before he stopped the hand signs, fingers glowing with a purple energy. Then, carefully, as though one wrong move and it wouldn't work, he touched the dark stain on the Uchiha's neck, a toxin to the boy's mind that was slowly trying to erode it and leaving nothing but a shell for Orochimaru to use.

Sasuke's entire body stilled, the only indication that he was even in pain at all.

Ancient symbols began to crawl across Sasuke's body, moving further till they encompassed the area around him. Black burnt way to a lightning blue, yet still Naruto remained with a frown of concentration plastered on his features. Then the lines that had previously been straight began to twist, moving round and growing smaller, as though closing something. Round and round it spun, moving faster with every turn.

Where three tomoe like dots had adorned the Uchiha's pale skin, a spiral now stood. Was that the mark of a changed seal, or something locked away?

Kakashi would no doubt ask Naruto about it later.

"Better?" Naruto asked, finally relaxing his posture.

"Hai." Sasuke was also slumped. "Way better. It's like it's not even there but I can still feel it."

"That's so contradictory it's not even funny." Naruto sighed, removing the kunai he'd thrown at the stubborn Uchiha earlier.

"So, what did we miss?" Sasuke asked, getting to his feet and directing his attention at the proctor.

All three members of Team 7 did not miss the look of utter rage and curious interest upon the face of the "Sound Jonin".

Naruto shivered slightly, not really liking the way those cruel eyes gleamed with desire when narrowed on him.

Sasuke smirked. "Better him than me." He muttered but Sakura and Naruto heard him, both sending him withering glares.

.0.0.0.

Team 7 was willing to let it slide when Sasuke had the first match with the same opponent. After all, it was highly possible. Of course the result was a win for Sasuke.

However, when the next two matches were the same, their moods grew somewhat darker.

"Rigged." Naruto muttered and Sasuke 'Hn'-ed his agreement from next to the blond.

Kakashi heard but said nothing.

He was instantly more interested however when Naruto began scribbling something down on a piece of paper he usually reserved for seals. He glanced it over with a nod and handed it over to Sakura who grinned and attached it to a kunai before tossing the kunai straight at the Hokage.

What was it with that girl and her bloodthirsty grins? Kakashi was starting to see another Anko in the making.

He was only semi-relieved when the kunai hit the ground, very near, the Hokage.

"That, Jiji, is my latest feat of awesomeness!" Naruto explained, having already caught everyone's attention with that little act. "No one is allowed to touch that kunai or that paper till the end of the matches. Then you shall all see the brilliance that is Uzumaki Naru– ITA! Sakura-chan what was that for?" Naruto rubbed his head and glared accusingly at his teammate.

She merely pointed at the board.

HARUNO SAKURA VS. YAMANAKA INO

"Oh. What are you going to do?" Naruto asked curiously.

Sakura smiled sweetly, "Win of course."

Kakashi leaned against the railing as his second student went down to fight her opponent. He glanced at Asuma who had just lit another cigarette. "No hard feelings eh Sarutobi?" he asked with a smile.

"Please. From their records, they're equal. This match could go either way." Asuma replied.

Kakashi pitied him for his ignorance. Next to him Naruto and Sasuke appeared to be betting something.

"No, genjutsu." Sasuke muttered adamantly.

"Na uh, taijutsu." Naruto stuck his tongue out and pouted.

"I say neither." Kakashi added thoughtfully.

"Really, what do you think she'll do?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Watch and see." Kakashi replied.

Sakura faced Ino with a friendly smile. "So Ino-chan, is your sensei as good as mine?"

"You wish you had my sensei, Forehead." Ino replied with a grin.

"Oh I doubt that." Sakura's smile widened and Naruto shivered, muttering something about Sai.

Hayate waited to see if anything more would be said before nodded to himself and stated around a cough, "Begin."

Sakura immediately jumped away from Ino and up onto the balcony where her team was waiting. Sasuke and Naruto backed up against the wall, nervous expressions growing more and more concerned with every passing nano-second.

Sakura then sprang from the railing, flipped in the air, and yelled "SHANNARO!" before literally crashing into the floor with enough force to send a ripple –a fricken ripple– along the floor. It travelled at a speed so great that Ino couldn't dodge, and ended up sailing through the air and smacking into the opposite wall, completely out cold.

"You, know, I've actually been hit with one of those, from higher up too." Naruto commented. "I couldn't feel my toes for days afterwards. And not to mention she did it because she was concerned about me."

"When was that?" Sasuke asked with wide eyes and a fearful gulp.

"Uhm, round about the mission with Guren in it." Naruto shrugged.

"Yeah, the one where I was on the other side of the lake." Sasuke smirked. "Honestly, I still don't know how you missed that one."

Kakashi blinked in confusion at that conversation. They'd never had any 'Guren' mission.

It was just one of those things.

"Winner, Haruno Sakura." Hayate stated, eyes slightly larger than before.

"What the hell are you teaching those kids Kakashi?" Asuma asked, the cigarette having fallen from his mouth.

"Too much?" Sakura asked as she re-joined her team. Naruto and Sasuke looked to each other before grinning nervously and stating "Nah." At the same time. Sakura chose to ignore the sweat drops.

The next match up was announced and Kakashi huffed impatiently when the three genin next to him stopped paying attention so that they could play another one of their ridiculous games. At least they were doing it quietly.

Kakashi didn't miss the way Naruto's head moved to the board, three seconds _before_ his name appeared on it. The little blond sighed as though the world was on his shoulders, and got to his feet as though an aging man well past his prime.

He then grumpily made his way towards the stairs, pausing in surprise to listen to Hinata's stuttered "G-good luck Naruto-kun."

"Thanks Hinata-chan. I'll be sure to be rooting for you when you go fight." Naruto replied with a grin.

Then he was walking away again, completely oblivious to the bright blush spreading across Hinata's cheeks. Kakashi noticed Kurenai's faint smile and wondered when Naruto would realise that Hinata was a female, and that she liked him as only a female could.

Naruto was facing Kiba with a familiar slouch to his posture and an even more familiar expression of pure boredom on his features.

"You know Kakashi, my Eternal Rival, don't you think you're taking this teaching thing a little too seriously?" Gai asked with a slight nervous chuckle.

Kakashi turned with a bored expression to the green clad ninja, mentally raising an eyebrow at Lee but saying instead, "Huh? Did you say something?" and ignoring the ensuing results.

"Oh yeah Akamaru, we got lucky on this one." Kiba yelled happily. "You might want to surrender now Naruto, and save yourself the embarrassment."

"Neh? Did you say something?" Naruto blinked questioningly at Kiba who sort of froze, not sure how to respond to that.

Naruto yawned and Kurenai turned an angry gaze to Kakashi as though it was his fault. "What?" Kakashi asked innocently.

"Is there something wrong that your student doesn't appear to be taking my student very seriously?" Kurenai asked scathingly. She'd started these exams hoping that Kiba would get some of his arrogant and uncaring attitude knocked out of him. Now, she was hoping he'd win by a landslide.

"Well, I can't be sure, but I think that Naruto-kun wishes he was at Ichiraku Ramen's right now. And there's not much to take very seriously when it comes to the Inuzuka boy anyway." Kakashi shrugged.

Before a seething Kurenai could reply Hayate began the match.

Kiba attacked instantly, and Naruto . . . . . just stood there, looking half asleep.

When the dust cleared, Naruto had been pounded into the ground and Kiba was panting, confusion on his features.

Silence reigned in the room, while Sasuke and Sakura looking on gravely.

Then, Naruto spoke, his voice sounding far older than what it had before.

"Kiba, I have a lot of respect for you, and the potential you hold." The blond slowly lifted his head and his team narrowed their eyes when they saw that Naruto's usual henge was no longer in place. The darker outfit with the minimal orange, the longer hair, the graver more intelligent expression was laid bare for all to see. "I would give you a fair fight, give you the respect that you deserve, but I cannot. One punch with me not holding back, and you won't get up again."

Naruto got up and brushed the dirt from his clothes. "I'm not the boy from the Academy, but you still are. It's time you got serious Kiba. Life waits for no one. Right now you have one, maybe two jutsus under your belt. You won't even be able to scratch me with that technique. You lack the discipline and power."

"What are you saying Naruto?" Kiba growled, expression growing angry. "That I'm weak!?"

"Hai." Naruto replied, not even trying to sugar coat it.

"Big words from the Dobe of the Academy. Why don't you put your money where your mouth is?" Kiba demanded.

"I already have." Naruto replied, flexing his chakra. A seal glowed to life on the floor by Kiba's feet. Akamaru barked, running towards Kiba only to become completely frozen the moment his paws touched the first symbol of the seal.

Naruto pulled out a kunai, features blank and deadly as he walked slowly towards Kiba. His own feet were encased with chakra as he walked over the seal he'd activated and it enabled him to keep walking rather than fall prey to his own trap. "I can kill you right now, you know that don't you?"

Kiba couldn't even respond.

"And just so you know, I was the Rookie of the Year. Sasuke never went to the Academy after the Massacre. He just took the tests when he had to. I was pretending to be the perfect little Uchiha just so that he didn't need to, so that he didn't have to endure the petty expectations of those around him." Naruto tilted his head to the side "But then, the only one who noticed was Kaka-sensei and Hokage-sama."

Naruto lifted Kiba's hand and placed the kunai within his limp grasp. The seal on the floor deactivated, fading from existence as though it had never been there at all. "This kunai has a seal on it. If you or your teammates ever need help, use it and I'll know."

Hiraishin no Jutsu, Naruto style. The jutsu that was originally the Second Hokage's and later used by his father. Naruto had long since perfected it. He'd just never had a reason to use it.

"So, don't lose it, kay." Naruto broke the tension with a wide smile.

"Winner, Uzumaki Naruto." Hayate had come to realise that Naruto had won the match before even moving down the stairs and he called it before the Inuzuka boy could do anything rash.

Sasuke inclined his head to Naruto as the blond reappeared next to his teammates. He knew that Naruto was trying to protect Kiba's dignity by not fighting him. For the members of Team 7 it was just too laughable being in the chunin exams but they had to be.

Kiba was in too much of a daze to really do much more than walk back up the stairs.

Naruto tossed a kunai to Shikamaru and stated, "That applies to you guys as well." He paused for a moment before tossing one to Lee. "And I guess you guys too."

"What's the deal with you lot?" Shikamaru was the first to recover.

"We're ninja." Sasuke answered simply.

"And things are never what they seem." Sakura replied.

"So we have to be ready for whatever comes our way." Naruto finished.


	10. Chapter 10

**Unwanted Trip**

**Chapter 10**

Naruto frowned when he read the next match up.

He didn't react when Hinata timidly walked down to the arena, her entire body trembling. He remained silent as she slowly walked down the stairs, keeping her eyes down and her hands close to her chest. He remained immobile as the small Hyuuga walked over to her cousin, cheeks reddening and lips trembling. However as the older Hyuuga opened his mouth, "Hey Hinata-chan! You can do this! I believe you can!" Naruto yelled with a happy grin on his face, playing the part he'd played before because really, she needed to hear his words. "People can change. They're never stuck where they are. You just have to take that extra step forward. Don't be afraid to go just that little bit further."

Hinata looked to him with large eyes and Naruto wondered if he would have to say more. But gradually, her eyes softened and she smiled in relief, nodding up at him before turning a focused gaze to her opponent.

"You shouldn't listen to fools like him." Neji began, about to launch into his spiel about fate and all that crap when Hinata, much to Naruto's delight, interrupted him. "If you don't mind, Neji-niisan, I'd like to begin the match now."

Naruto was proud yes, but it was a bittersweet pride. He knew what was about to happen after all. His heart sank even as the grin grew on his face when Hinata placed her hands together and began the sequence of hand signs for her special brand of jutsu. There wasn't anything he could do.

Sasuke, Sakura and he had promised not to interfere in their friends' personal development. And that meant watching them fail, watching them get hurt and watching them pick themselves back up again.

But that didn't mean they weren't going to support their peers, and help them become the Shinobi they had the potential to be.

This time, just before Neji went too far and nearly killed Hinata, an ANBU shunshined into the arena, holding Neji's wrist at a painful angle.

"Sasayaku." Kakashi muttered to himself with a slightly narrowed gaze. "Why?"

With a casual flick of his wrist, Sasayaku sent Neji flying across the room. "Comrades are not to be treated as such, Hyuuga-san." Neji hadn't been hurt. Just surprised.

"You're quick to talk from behind a mask." Neji spat angrily as he got to his feet. Weakness was not something he liked to be reminded of.

"And if I were to reveal my face, would that make a difference to what I said?" Sasayaku asked.

Neji faltered at the words, not sure how to reply.

"If I showed you my face, would that make my feelings upon the matter change . . . or your feelings?" Sasayaku continued. "No. If I were to show you my face, it would not do anything. It would not change my words or my feelings. It wouldn't change yours. Mostly though, Hyuuga-san, it wouldn't change the gap in our power level difference. If that is all, I have a comrade to tend to."

Sasayaku then turned around and gently caught Hinata as she swayed before collapsing to the floor. "That was well fought, Hinata-san." The ANBU stated conversationally as he gently pulled off her jacket revealing a mesh shirt that had done little to protect the genin against Neji's vicious attacks. "But there comes a time where determination becomes foolish." A soft chuckle. "However, I believe that a certain measure of foolish determination is needed to ensure that the impossible becomes very much possible."

The Asahi ANBU reached into his pouch and pulled out a small jar of ointment before carefully applying it to the wounds Hinata had received. The ANBU appeared to be focusing on the areas that Neji had hit the hardest, where the horrific bruises were starting to bloom.

Once satisfied that there had been enough ointment applied, the ANBU placed the container back into his pouch before carefully removing a fingerless glove, and at the same time enlightening those in the room with the experience to look for it, just how young the ANBU really was. Hands that were still to be shaped and scarred. That is what the jonin in the room saw.

The jonin in the room grew sombre and silent, the realisation that there was a need for an ANBU so young tainted by the remembrance of others, others such as Itachi and Kakashi. Kakashi himself was perhaps the most silent and immobile. Even though he knew who Sasayaku really was, it always killed him a little more each day to see the boy in action, to see him achieve things that no child should ever have to do.

Yet, even with all his knowledge, Kakashi was just as confused as everyone else when the ANBU placed his gloveless hand upon Hinata's abdomen and raised his other hand to his chin to focus his chakra. The Jonin in the room all gasped sharply when an intense chakra, potent and powerful, began to build within the ANBU. It was so powerful that the seals that kept his chakra hidden could no longer mask it.

"What are you doing to her?!" Neji demanded, rushing towards the ANBU.

Sasayaku raised his head, the potent chakra pausing for just a moment, sending a glare to the Hyuuga cold enough to freeze him in his tracks. "Your concern is most puzzling, Hyuuga-san. You are, after all, the one that placed her in such a state."

Neji was left to rely on his Byakugan, which he focused on Hinata. His eyes widened as he watched the ANBU pour waves upon waves of chakra into Hinata's body, yet the chakra did not linger. It rotated through her coils before being absorbed by the ANBU once again. What was most astonishing was the fact that the chakra _healed_ as it moved, most of the damage that Neji had dealt to the girl already gone.

"Suiren." Sasayaku called and another ANBU shunshined into the arena.

Sasayaku stopped focusing chakra and lowered his one hand while lifting the other. The chakra he'd focused throughout Hinata's coils wisped feebly before dissolving away, leaving no trace that it had ever been there at all. He moved away to let Suiren press a green chakra encased hand to Hinata's chest, where most of the damage had been delivered.

When Suiren was done she nodded to Sasayaku and shunshined away. The remaining ANBU then bent and carefully lifted Hinata from the floor, moving to the stairs and walking slowly up them. He didn't let the Hyuuga girl go until he was standing right next to her sensei. Kurenai took Hinata from him and he bowed before disappearing in a puff of smoke, having been a clone the entire time.

"Winner, Hyuuga Neji." Hayate announced, having no real idea of what to do next. He'd been about to jump into the fight to stop the Hyuuga boy but the ANBU had beat him to it. From the look of things he'd beaten several jonin to it, including Kakashi.

A moment of stunned silence followed before a slight cough from the Hokage had the Shinobi moving into action once again, the incident placed aside for private inspection some time when each Shinobi was alone.

But a single warning glance from the Hokage to Kakashi was not missed by the Konoha jonin. Kakashi got the message loud and clear. He had to keep his genin in check. They were bordering on revealing too much.

The next match was Gaara vs. Rock Lee and the tension in the room only increased.

They were all impressed with Lee's ability to move past Gaara's sand defence, but three people in the room knew that it wasn't enough.

This time it was Fukushu that interrupted the fight, pulling Lee right out of Gaara's sand mere nano-seconds before it crushed the green clad boy.

"I admire your philosophy, Lee-san, but I think that perhaps, your ninja way would be better projected from the side lines for now." Fukushu murmured quietly.

"But I will never give up." Lee protested.

Fukushu sighed just as quietly as he spoke before pressing a point on Lee's neck, causing the boy to go limp and promptly delivering the boy to his sensei. He didn't waste time with words like Sasayaku might have. He was more of an ANBU of action.

Naruto leaned over to Sasuke and whispered. "I never knew you were so sentimental, Sasuke-kun."

"Hardly, I just remembered how annoying it was to have to listen to that man's wails while I was stuck in the hospital." Sasuke replied, jerking a chin towards Gai.

Naruto had to stifle the laughs because he just knew it would be frowned upon with all the tension in the air. He hardly cared about being a disappointment, but he didn't want his sensei to get crap for it.

"Fight me." Gaara suddenly intoned, looking to Fukushu, who had been about to leave the room.

"You are not worth my time." Fukushu scoffed with a backward glance at the Suna-nin.

Gaara jerked back as though he'd been physically punched and Naruto smacked his forehead. "Great choice of words there teme."

"You will be patient Jinchuriki of the Sand, and we will fight when the time comes. But right now, you are not worth my time."

Then Fukushu was gone.

Gaara was visibly angry but the promise of a fight seemed to be enough to placate the boy because he didn't put up a fuss.

"These Asahi ANBU sure are interesting." Asuma commented drily.

"Indeed." Kakashi drawled tonelessly, lone visible eye sliding over to his three students who were all staring at him questioningly, too questioningly for him to buy the innocence they were trying to project.

"I still want to know why they are needed." Shikamaru suddenly stated. "Because from my observations they are a division with more power than the entirety of Konoha's Shinobi forces. And when a need like that arises it never points to a good thing. Take the Sannin for example." Shikamaru was getting to the point where he was thinking too much about it. That could be a problem.

"Wow." Naruto stated loudly, obnoxiously. His aim was distraction and he was winning. "I've never heard you speak so much Shika-kun."

.0.0.0.

When the preliminaries were over Naruto jumped over the railing and rushed over to the paper he'd written on earlier. "Kaka-sensei, if you'd be so kind." Naruto presented the paper to him with a flourish.

Kakashi took the paper and unfolded it, glancing over the words on the paper, which turned out to be the entire match up list, winners on one side and losers on the other side, paired with the correct partner and everything.

Kakashi shook his head and just threw it to Asuma.

He simply didn't want to know anymore. Those kids were something else. But then, were the match ups rigged? That would be completely unfair. It would be like they were choosing who would become chunin. Yet . . . that wasn't really a bad thing. Just because a genin had the power to be a chunin did not mean they had the mentality and maturity to handle it.

"Kaka-sensei, we need to go out tonight and celebrate." Naruto stated seriously with Sakura and Sasuke nodding their heads next to him in agreement.

"Celebrate what?" Kakashi decided to humour them.

"All three of us made it to the final round." They chorused.

And indeed they had. What had happened to the "_We'll just forfeit in round three_" part? He wasn't sure but he might actually be ohkay with them becoming chunin. So long as the Sandaime kept his word. He would fight tooth and nail to keep the brats and they didn't have a choice in it either.

While they'd been talking at the back of the gathered group, the Hokage had been talking to the other genin, choosing to ignore the four of them. As it was, the four had been paying only a minor amount of attention to the Hokage's words

Final round in a month, yada yada yada, important clients, yada yada yada, showcase military strength, so on and so such, Okami will be announcing the final round match ups, more boring lecturing, wait . . . WHAT?

Kakashi watched as the Asahi ANBU Captain shunshinned into the room. Sometimes, being a clone sucked. He only got updated information when he dispelled and was created again.

What he wasn't expecting were the three Asahi ANBU that shunshined into the room directly after their captain. Fukushu bowed to Okami before drawling, "Taichou, we wish to suggest our own list for the match ups. And given the circumstances we would also like to request that Rock Lee and Inuzuka Kiba be allowed to participate in the final round."

"Rock Lee I can understand and will allow. However, on what grounds would Inuzuka be allowed a pass?" Sarutobi replied, interrupting Okami's reply before it could begin.

"The grounds would be an unfair match up in the preliminaries." Fukushu explained.

"If you base it on those grounds, then all of Team 7's match partners would be allowed a pass." Sarutobi frowned. "It would go against the spirit of the exams. Besides on what grounds do you base it as an unfair match up?"

The three remained silent knowing that they couldn't answer without giving too much away.

Fukushu replied. "I wish to train the Suna Jinchuriki." His reply was completely out of the park and the silence that reigned was deafening.

"You wish to train the Suna Jinchuriki?" This was from the Oto jonin who was actually Orochimaru.

"Hai. He lacks discipline. Power, is only as great as its wielder." Fukushu tilted his head, sending a wave of pure Killing Intent at the Oto jonin.

"I will have to decline that offer." Baki interrupted.

A long silence followed Baki's abrupt declaration, with Fukushu merely staring at the Suna nin.

"Understood." Fukushu, stated slowly, giving the Suna Jonin a curt nod, but his gaze lingered on the red haired Jinchuriki who was eyeing him just as intently. The Hokage chose not to comment, interested in the exchange but leaving it be. Escalation could lead to unwanted places.

"You three about finished?" The question was rhetorical. "As for the match ups, what did you have in mind?" Okami interrupted.

"Before you make your suggestions, I'm afraid I'm going to have to deny your request to give Inuzuka Kiba a pass. However, Rock Lee may pass to the third round." Sarutobi announced while Kiba's mouth dropped comically. It did seem unfair, but the Hokage had his reasons.

"Aburame Shino vs. Kankuro. Nara Shikamaru vs. Temari. Hyuuga Neji vs. Uzumaki Naruto. Uchiha Sasuke vs. Gaara. Haruno Sakura vs. Rock Lee." Sasayaku replied.

"Why Haruno against Lee?"

"Her aptitude for taijutsu and her small reserves place her as the best possible match up against the taijutsu user." Fukushu explained.

"I don't see anything wrong with this match up." Okami mused.

"But it undermines foreign villages. You've placed genin together to your choosing. You've analysed strengths and weaknesses. How do we know that you haven't placed the Konoha genin most likely to beat our genin together in the match ups?" Baki interrupted and he did have a point because none of the Suna genin would win, not that he knew that.

"It is our prerogative, as the hosting village, to plan the Chunin exams as we see fit, Jonin-san. As it is, Konoha has more genin in the finale round than Suna. Yet it is noted and respected that the _only_ genin team sent from Suna managed to make it through to the finale round." Okami replied before the Hokage could.

"Taichou." Sasayaku stated quietly and the older ANBU stepped back, allowing the smaller ANBU to step forward. "You should have more faith in the ability of your genin. Had you been their true sensei, you'd have known more about their strengths and weaknesses. However, Suna does not operate as Konoha does and it's understandable that you would not know such things." Sasayaku continued. "But that is irrelevant. You raise a good point Jonin-san and if it pleases you, we can leave it up to fate to decide."

"Fate?" Baki sneered questioningly.

"Hai. A random draw of numbers to determine who will fight who. If you agree to this, you cannot complain further about the results." Sasayaku walked over to Iruka-sensei and asked for a piece of paper and a pen. He then proceeded to tear up the paper into the required number of pieces and wrote down numbers on them without waiting for consent from the Suna Jonin.

A blast of wind through the room, chakra generated, carried the pieces of paper over to the assembled genin, who could only watch in stunned silence.

"Do you agree to this method, Jonin-san?" Sasayaku asked.

"Hai. This is as fair as it gets." Baki agreed with a narrowed gaze.

The numbers floated to the floor face down and in a perfect square formation, aside from one lone block.

"Genin will step forward and take one number. Your places cannot be swapped or moved. Your opponent is your opponent." Sasayaku stated and Naruto was the first one to happily bounce over to the numbers. He scooped one up and turned it over, pulling a face when it revealed the number 2.

Neji was next, blinking in surprise when his number was the number 1.

In the end, the match up was exactly as the Asahi ANBU had proposed and Sasayaku turned to Baki. "Some things have been decided by Fate long before we ourselves get there."

Baki couldn't say a word. The match up was eerily familiar to what the Uzumaki brat had done earlier. Did Konoha have ninja that could predict the future? Because if they did then Suna was in for a world of trouble.

As the Asahi shunshined away at the Hokage's order, Sasuke turned to Naruto and smirked, "How long do you think it'll be before they realise they should never trust a ninja and that Sasayaku put seals on all those papers?"

"Meh, never." Naruto grinned. "I'm just that good."

.0.0.0.

"Alright Sensei, do you trust me?" Sakura asked sweetly as she smiled up at the older ninja.

"Whenever a sentence is started like that . . ." Kakashi didn't need to finish, the suspicion was all too clear in his tone. "Especially coming from a ninja, and even more especially coming from one of you three…"

"Noooooo, not a ninja Kaka-Sensei, a teammate." Sakura argued with a slight huff that was bordering on petulant.

"Fine." Kakashi narrowed his visible eye, stuffing his hands into his pockets and shifting his weight to his other foot. None of the genin sitting in front of him had bandanas on so they weren't the clones. As far as the rest of the Konoha Shinobi were concerned, the Asahi ANBU were not on active duty that night. It was also the night after the preliminaries and Kakashi just knew that this had something to do with that celebration Sakura mentioned earlier on.

"See, we were thinking that we go to that popular little restaurant on that one corner. I've noticed a lot of the Shinobi go there." Naruto continued while Sasuke and Sakura smiled at Kakashi.

"It's not a restaurant." Kakashi stated drily. "It's a bar and you all know that."

"Yeah but we figured that they had to serve some food in there and we want to take Zabuza-kun and Haku with us." Sasuke answered, waving a hand dismissively. The Uchiha had taken to calling his house guest Zabuza-kun because it annoyed the jonin to no end. "People haven't really gotten time to acquaint themselves with our two newest additions. They train too much."

"Have you asked them about this 'idea' of yours?" Kakashi asked, and they could hear the sarcasm dripping off of every word. So far he wasn't buying into the idea.

Truthfully, Kakashi knew that as much as Umino Iruka knew Team 7 to be rather strange in the weirdest of ways, the Academy sensei would rip him a new one if he ever learnt that Kakashi had taken his precious Naruto into a bar. After all, Umino Iruka had his favourite and that certainly wasn't the broody Uchiha. Kakashi wasn't quite sure how Naruto had managed to win the Academy Sensei over and he dearly wanted to know but he didn't ask. It wasn't his place to. He knew that Naruto would often go to Ichiraku's with Iruka-sensei and tell the chunin all about the bogus genin missions that the clones engaged in. It was a time Kakashi did not tread upon, rather leaving it as it was.

"Besides, if anyone wants to question our motives we can say we're doing a training exercise. As ninja we could be sent anywhere when it comes to missions." Naruto continued talking as though there hadn't been a slight break in the conversation and ignoring Kakashi's previous question.

After those chunin exams he was sure that everyone was at least somewhat aware that his genin weren't normal. Maybe they'd chalk it up to being Kakashi's students, but they'd still be more curious, more watchful of the trio.

Keeping that in mind, Kakashi couldn't help but wonder if he should tell them to curb it or let them continue with their free reign and see what happened. He was inclined to go for the latter option. Sounded more fun.

Somehow he doubted he was going to get out of this one, no matter what excuse he used. He just had this feeling that they'd always be one step ahead of him.

So he sighed and relaxed his posture. "Yeah, what time am I meeting you there?"

"Yay!" All three grinned largely at him with cheerful eye smiles. Oh, this was going to be a long night.

.0.0.0.

The soft chatter in the dimly lit room stopped abruptly when an enraged yell from just outside the establishment whiplashed through the air with enough force to make most of the room's occupants wince.

"I TOLD YOU TO STOP CALLING ME THAT YOU BLASTED BRAT!"

"Whatever you say, Zabuza-kun." Came the amused reply as Uchiha Sasuke stepped through the doors with a satisfied smirk.

"Now, now Sasuke-kun. Play nice with the other jonin." Kakashi's drawl preceded him into the room, as did his infamous orange Icha Icha novel.

"Awww but Sensei, I was being nice."

"Can it Teme!" The boisterous tone that could only belong to one person came next.

"I'm going to knock all of your heads together if you don't start acting like the gentlemen I whacked into you!"

Team 7 walked into the tiny Shinobi bar, the men looking a little more than somewhat fearful of their female teammate. The new additions of Haku and Zabuza followed close behind them, neither looking as though this little trip had been their idea.

"Kakashi!" Anko yelled from across the room, "Bring those brats over here!"

"Yay! We get the crazy snake lady!" Naruto yelled before taking off in a blur of orange and yellow. Kakashi merely turned a page.

"So what are you four, uh six, doing in a place like this?" Anko purred as she stared suggestively at Zabuza who was doing his level best to look anywhere but at the kunoichi.

"Training." Naruto grinned. "We're learning what the real ninja do since Kaka-sensei says we're not real ninja, not until we're _experienced _chunin." The blond jumped into a booth and slid to the side so that Sasuke could sit next to him. The blonde had wrinkled his nose at the word experience and Sasuke had rolled his eyes.

"Oh, and how does this help in the chunin exams?" Kurenai asked as she slid in next to Anko.

"It doesn't. We got that all covered." Sakura replied sweetly. "This is for afterwards."

"What's up with those exams anyway? Why's the old man making you guys participate?" Anko asked, before downing a cup of sake.

"He said it was to even out the matchups, that without Team 7 there wouldn't haven't been very many genin in the third round this year." Kakashi answered with a shrug as he slid in next to Kurenai, pulling Zabuza with him and leaving Haku to sit next to Sakura and Sasuke.

"That's hardly a very good reason." Kurenai frowned. "I mean, they're just kids. They shouldn't be forced into a chunin exam just because of that."

"Are you kidding me?" Zabuza demanded. "Firstly, my genin exam was all about killing my opponent and secondly, have you MET these demon spawn from hell?!"

"Awwww Zabuza-kun, I'm sorry I threw that kunai at you but I'm still not used to having someone else staying at my house." Sasuke stated soothingly.

Kurenai blinked at the reputedly broody Uchiha boy, at a loss for what to make of the child.

"Stop calling me that." Zabuza growled.

"Sooooo, Zabuza-san, you never did say why it was that you left Kiri." Kakashi stated loudly, just before turning a page.

"The leadership was crap."

"Hence the attempt to kill the Yondaime Mizukage." Naruto chuckled.

"No ramen for you Naruto." Kakashi stated seriously. "For having homicidal tendencies."

"Don't tell me you didn't want to take a whack at him too." Naruto pouted.

"I know I did." Sakura grinned, making Kurenai pale slightly.

"Hmm, yes. I'm going to have to agree with Sakura-san." Haku stated with a smile and Zabuza's eyebrow twitched. "You've been spending too much time with them Haku." He warned.

"He did order the death of my entire clan." Haku argued with a shrug.

"Point Haku." Sasuke smirked.

"Too much talking, not enough celebrating." Naruto interrupted with a scoff and shoving Sasuke's head down. "Order the sake sensei!"

"Who said anything about sake?" Kakashi raised his one visible brow as he merely turned a page, trying his level best to look as unaffected as possible.

"Me." A Naruto clone smirked as he delivered a full tray. "Thanks for the henge Sensei."

That made the man put his book down. He looked as though he was about to say something before he slammed the book shut and growled under his breath. "I can't even punish the brat because he's displaying good ninja skills."

"I call dibs." Sasuke yelled before snatching up a cup and downing it before Kakashi could stop him. The poor masked jonin was left spluttering in surprise as his three genin took it upon themselves to get absolutely plastered.

"Oh God, Iruka is going to kill me." He squeaked out.

"If I see him, I'll warn you." Anko offered, patting the other jonin on the back without so much as an ounce of sympathy for the man.

"Hey, you two. Didn't I forbid the whole drinking buddies with Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura demanded, giving the two a glare just as they lifted another cup.

They shrugged before offering a cup to her. She gave them a look before sighing and taking the cup just as Kakashi had been about to snatch it away.

"Just give it up. You're losing this one, badly." Zabuza stated as he took a cup himself. "You should try following their example. Looks like you need it more."

"Meh, Sensei, bet I can out last you." Naruto stuck out his tongue at the jonin and got a narrowed eye in response. "I'm not falling for that again." Kakashi hissed.

"Again?" Naruto asked quirking an eyebrow.

"Hai. The last time an Uzumaki said that to me, I lost a whole week of my life."

Zabuza was more than slightly amused when he saw the faint pink tinge that dusted the visible parts of the mighty Sharingan no Kakashi's cheeks when all three of the man's students roared with laughter. It was quite the sight to see just how much three little genin – genin that Zabuza was starting to suspect weren't much of genin at all, but rather something far more – could affect one of the Elemental Nations most feared Shinobi.

"Don't worry Kakashi. I was there for that one. I still have those pictures." Anko clamped a hand on the Jonin's shoulder with a wink, causing the Copy-nin to go an even darker shade of pink.

"Aren't you at all worried that you're being challenged by three twelve year olds? Where's your sense of honour?" Haku asked quietly, with a porcelain smile.

"It's in my honour's best interest to refuse, and to keep refusing no matter how old they get." Kakashi responded with his own porcelain smile.

The only reply the jonin got were three mischievous titters.

"You know Sasuke, I think it's time for one thing and one thing only." Naruto stated with a mock seriousness that belied the blonde's sparkling gaze as he pulled the Uchiha closer all the while smirking wolfishly.

"Ah yes, a task of great difficulty, one that only the bravest of brave attempt." Sasuke replied, his features and tone showing that the genin was as serious as a heart attack, daring anyone to laugh at him.

The two genin nodded to each other earnestly. Abandoning the tray of sake cups that was by now almost empty, the two got up and hopped over the side of the booth.

"I challenge you to a game of Karaoke." Sasuke yelled dramatically as he glared challengingly at the blond in front of him.

"Prepare to weep in defeat teme!" Naruto screamed loudly as he rushed towards the karaoke station, grabbing the remote and turning the stereo on.

A loud screech indicated that the mic was too close to the speakers and Naruto hastily moved it away.

Yet, before Sasuke could reach the stage to join Naruto, a ROOT ANBU shunshined into the room and handed Kakashi a scroll, causing the two genin to pause as they looked to their sensei.

Kakashi frowned as well, wondering what on earth Danzou wanted from him.

Kakashi's quick handling of the scroll showed the three genin exactly how long Kakashi had been in the ANBU before becoming a jonin instructor. After all, ten years was a long time for any Shinobi to be involved in such dark matters.

The scroll was rolled and sealed just as effortlessly and it reminded Sasuke more than anyone else of just how many times Kakashi had been forced to work with Danzou in the past. The Uchiha frowned and looked away, thoughts swirling around Shisui and Itachi.

Kakashi sighed quietly before he shunshined from the room. Sakura looked towards Naruto and Sasuke, all three coming to the same conclusion. The three genin focused their chakra before following their sensei and shunshining out of the bar and straight into Kakashi's apartment, waiting for the jonin to return from his meeting with Danzou.

"Well that would have been a fun evening." Naruto sighed as he flopped on the couch.

"Hmmm, I suppose, but it gives us some time to discuss some important matters." Sakura mused, eyes growing distant.

"Do you think Zabuza and Haku will be alright?" Sasuke muttered as he joined Naruto on the couch.

"It'll be good for them." Sakura shrugged. "More importantly, what are you going to do about Jiraiya, Naruto?"

"I don't know. Maybe I could convince him to let me sign the toad contact again. And we still need to get Tsunade-Baachan back to the village." Naruto replied, eyebrows furrowed together in thought.

"What are you planning to do about Gaara since Baki said no?" Naruto asked, poking the Uchiha's side.

"I didn't think he would say yes, so I'm going to train Gaara in secret. Although none of us followed Kabuto. Do you think he's met up with Baki and Orochimaru yet?" Sasuke replied, tone darkening the slightest amount.

"I'm already on it. Sent a clone out when I sent one to get sake. Hayate is recovering in hospital. I wasn't able to stop all of Baki's attacks. Clones have to be more cautious you know." Naruto huffed, the disappointment in himself all too clear to his teammates. "But he's unconscious and hasn't reported what he heard."

"Were you seen?" Sakura asked with a frown. "Baki must be suspicious. What if he holds off the invasion?"

"Gaara's too high strung. They wouldn't be able to quit now even if he was suspicious. However, I was henged as Hayate so he believes he was fighting the same Shinobi who used a clever jutsu. Baki was forced to retreat when I sent up a flare to alert patrols. I imagine that there will be an attempt on Hayate's life before he wakes. Probably by Kabuto. With that in mind, one of us needs to stand guard." Naruto closed his eyes, exhaustion flickering across his features briefly before he smoothed them again.

"Regular ANBU or Asahi ANBU? Kabuto can outclass regular ANBU so it might trick him into revealing his true colours if he decides to attack." Sakura commented.

"But Kabuto is a difficult decision. As is Orochimaru. Their actions during the war are indicative that they can be converted back to Konoha." Sasuke pointed out.

"Kabuto needs to be reminded of who he is. That he's not some lost useless Shinobi floating around through the underground networks of the Shinobi world. Yet, Orochimaru is not that simple. He will need something out of it. Such as last time it was you." Naruto grumbled. "It's never that easy Sasuke. I think perhaps, we're going to have to kill Orochimaru and Kabuto. We cannot guarantee their loyalty. It's too fickle."

"But Tsunade-shizuo." Sakura began very quietly, looking away sadly. "She misses her teammates. Both Jiraiya and Orochimaru."

Sasuke and Naruto did not reply, frozen by the realisation of Sakura's words. Even Orochimaru, as twisted as he'd become, had once been a part of the Sannin. They'd grown up together, trained together, _survived_ together. For Tsunade, the comparison for Team 7 would be like losing each other. It was like cutting off a limb. Not using their most powerful jutsu in a dire fight.

It was unthinkable.

"Then we will have to see what we can do." Sasuke decided firmly, breaking the silence. "It'll be Naruto's job to get Tsunade back to the village. Jiraiya will stay for Naruto because of the Akatsuki, hopefully. And I will work on Orochimaru. Perhaps Sakura can work on Kabuto."

"I'll go stand guard over Hayate at the hospital." Sakura stated with a grateful glance at the Uchiha. No words of gratitude were said because actions always meant more. "I know the personal and the area better. And who knows, I might be able to get Hayate to wake up faster."

"I'll come by later to inform you about Danzou." Sasuke replied with a nod.

"Be careful. This is Kabuto we're talking about. You can handle him, but he's more than capable of wounding you." Naruto reminded with a worried frown.

"I'll wound him more than he can hurt me, Naruto-kun." Sakura reassured with a soft smile before disappearing in a small swirl of leaves to go to her room where a normal ANBU uniform was kept for just such occasion. Being Asahi ANBU helped, but it was too conspicuous for the really dark missions, the ones that involved spying on their own home.

.0.0.0.

Sakura kept to the shadows as she made her way to the Hospital, the normal ANBU uniform tucked under her arm. She'd put it on closer to the hospital. ANBU attracted attention from other ANBU. Her intentions were to go unnoticed. After all she wasn't an official member of the ANBU rotation. The mask she would wear was a copy of someone else's. She didn't need to be caught by another member who knew the original's owner.

The shift in the shadows in front of her was familiar, one that she'd seen a thousand times before. She didn't slow, the shinobi matching pace with her.

"We need to do it. It's the only way." Sasuke stated tonelessly.

"Are we really sure it's the only way?" Sakura replied, not meeting his gaze.

"The important part is that he'll believe it. Anything else wouldn't work or would take too long." Sasuke answered, his tone distancing. "It'll be hard, but we need to do this."

"Shall I kill Kabuto?" Sakura asked, moving away from the topic.

"No. He'll be useful. Later." And suddenly Sasuke was gone. Shadow clone dissolving without even a wisp.

.0.0.0.

Kakashi approached the entrance apprehensively. He hadn't been here since he'd convinced Tenzou to leave ROOT. It hadn't been easy. He'd had to make a lot of deals with Danzou to let Tenzou go but he'd managed it. Merely because Danzou knew that Tenzou would always be in his reach. He'd always be in Konoha.

He walked through the entrance with the same lazy slouch he'd used in public, a silent reminder that he'd take no orders from Danzou. He owed the man nothing. He was only here because ignoring the summons would do more damage later and he really didn't need the man sniffing around.

"Hatake Kakashi." The greeting was cold, almost bordering on anger.

Kakashi didn't respond verbally, choosing instead to incline his head.

"Walk with me, Hatake." Danzou didn't wait for a reply, walking towards his private office automatically. Kakashi followed, curious as to what the geezer wanted. "Do you realise how far this village has come since its creation?" Danzou asked suddenly. "The challenges we've faced and overcome? I'm sure a ninja of your calibre is very much aware of the later. But the former, I cannot be sure."

"What are you getting at?" Kakashi had long since lost the ability to be polite to Danzou.

"I'm talking about you and your Kami forsaken team making a mockery of these exams." Danzou hissed. "We will be hard pressed to recover should these exams end poorly."

What was riding on these exams that was different from any other exam? The silver haired jonin resisted the urge to narrow his gaze, tilting his head to the side instead and stating "I'm not sure what you're getting at."

"You know damn well what your team did was nothing but an embarrassment to Konoha. Had you complied as you were supposed to no one would have known that your team was ordered to be in the exams. You of all people should know what that kind of statement that makes to the other villages. Your team is now under intense scrutiny from every ninja village that participated in the exams. Reports would have been sent out. Those Asahi ANBU didn't help matters by fixing the match up for the third round. Those Genin might have believed the ruse but more experienced ninja will not." Danzou was angry. The fall out was possibly huge. Or it was possibly an over-reaction.

"And why am I here?" Kakashi intoned, guessing that Danzou wanted him to take control of his team, to fix things. How? He wasn't sure.

"Do you really need to ask? You already know. Your arrogance is not without merit." Danzou waved a hand. "More specifically, I want the information that you have."

"Information?" Kakashi raised his visible brow. This was new.

"The first round revealed that your team knew classified information about a traitor in the exams. I want to know how you knew."

Kakashi had underestimated how deep Danzou's information network went. Or perhaps how sharp the old man still was. He relaxed his posture and sighed. "He was obvious. That is all. Why would a genin who'd failed the exams seven times still be trusted by his sensei to take them, and why would he offer to help the others. If he was serious about passing, then he should have kept the information he had to himself. Not to mention the level of information he had wasn't a level he should have had given that he was supposedly a genin who had failed the exams seven times."

"He never mentioned that he had the information. You took it off of him." Danzou smirked.

"He approached. Why would he. He'd had no previous interaction with anyone on my team or otherwise. Putting it simply, he had to have been trying something." Even Kakashi knew that he was getting dangerously close to bullshit. Danzou would have to be slipping if he let that one go.

"There will come a day Hatake, when your particular talents won't be enough to counter your insubordination."

"I'm only seen as insubordinate to you and your way of seeing the Will of Fire, Danzou. To the right people, the people in charge, I'm exactly the kind of Shinobi they need."

"Keep your team in check." The reply was a dismissal. Whether he believed Kakashi's story or not was another matter, but the jonin had touched a nerve.

Kakashi knew that they'd have to be more careful moving forward. Danzou was sniffing around and that never led to anything good. But for now it was a minor problem.

.0.0.0.

Itachi surveyed the village silently, ignoring Kisame's grumbling behind him. It had been a few years yet the village remained the same. Happy, peaceful and blissfully unaware of what lurked in the shadows.

"We'll stay for the chunin exams." Itachi stated quietly. "That way we'll get a better understanding the of the Jinchuriki's current skill."

And he'd be able to get a look at Sasuke's skill as well. He doubted the boy had remained the same. He hadn't had this kind of opportunity since he'd joined Akatsuki. He'd had to be so careful. Appearances were everything. All he'd managed in his time away was to make sure his little brother was still alive.

The puzzle the boy presented him with had yet to be solved. Sadly there were other things that needed his more immediate attention.

.0.0.0.

Kakashi arrived back at his apartment only to be greeted with two sets of worried gazes. Wondering where the third was he moved towards the sofa, pulling Naruto's feet off the arm rest as he passed and sat down in between the two genin.

"Sakura went to make sure Kabuto didn't try anything with Hayate-senpai." Naruto informed the jonin with a soft smile.

"Hayate-senpai?" Kakashi raised his visible brow, waiting for a more detailed explanation.

"He was spying on Kabuto and Baki. They found him. A clone of mine managed to intercept the fight but he still got badly wounded." Naruto explained, looking away while the smile dropped from his features. "He's at the hospital now."

"What did Danzou want?" Sasuke asked, burning to know, not that his features showed it.

"We've apparently been too obvious in the exams. Also he finds our fooling around to be insulting to the village. We're going to need to tone it down for a while. I know it's not easy to take others seriously, especially with regards to your fellow genin, but keep in mind that it's not usually the habits of genin to mess with ANBU and foreign village jonin. It's suspicious for all the wrong reasons." Kakashi sighed. He understood all too well. But when he'd been a genin he hadn't been anywhere near Sasuke and Naruto's current levels. But he'd been ahead of everyone else, catching up to his superiors faster than they could blink. It was hard not to treat it all as one big playground. Itachi had been the same. In the brief time he'd known the boy in ANBU, he'd seen the way the boy had been toying with his ANBU teammates during spars, the mocking way he'd fought with his enemies.

When you were so many steps ahead of them all, it was hard to take them all seriously. Yet, Kakashi felt that things were going to get serious far too quickly in the near future.

"Hai, sensei." The two chorused, giving him serious nods. "So what are you teaching us for the final round?" Naruto added with a wide grin. "And it better be something cool."

"Well, I'm not sure what I could teach you two that you don't already know." Kakashi admitted.

"Chidori." Sasuke stated with a wicked grin.

"Rasengan." Naruto rubbed his hands together gleefully.

"And Sakura?" Kakashi rose his visible brow, impressed by the simple requests he'd been given.

"Well, you could teach her an earth based jutsu. Maybe something to fix all the holes she makes." Naruto suggested innocently. But he was just tired of fixing them himself.

"Oh and who is going to fix the holes you two make with your Chidori and Rasengan training?" Kakashi cringed at the thought, wondering if this was considered low profile. His thoughts turned to another topic and he wondered at the logic in giving in. Ultimately it wasn't his choice to make.

"Naruto, you know that Jiraiya of the Sannin is in the village right?" Kakashi broached the topic carefully, wondering how he felt about it but deciding to leave that for later.

"Yeah. He's pretty obvious. Why?" Naruto huffed at the thought of the sannin crouching in a bush trying to get a peek at things he shouldn't.

"Well he is one of the leading Sealing experts in Konoha and he does know the Rasengan. I'm sure you could convince him to train you." Kakashi stated quietly. There were just some things he couldn't teach the boy. He knew that. "I'll take Sasuke into the training outlands and teach him the Chidori. Sakura, I'll ask Kuranei to teach some genjutsu. Her control is at a level that I feel she'd possibly give the kunoichi a run for her money." The split would help in forcing the three to behave. Together they were impossible.

Sasuke and Naruto couldn't help the look that passed between them. Things were becoming eerily like the first time around and that was not an inviting thought.

"Sounds good. I'll be sure to get the Ero-sennin to teach me something awesome other than the Rasengan." Naruto grinned, "And I'll use them to beat Sasuke in the final round."

"You only have a month Naruto." Kakashi sighed. Inwardly he was gleeful about the nickname. He was glad his was only Kaka.

"Oh please, you couldn't beat me even if I was sleeping with my hands and feet tied." Sasuke scoffed.

"Bring it on teme!" Naruto screeched, eyes flaming with determination.

"Dobe, I'll plant your face in the dirt so hard, you–" Sasuke was calm and unblinking as he replied to Naruto's challenge. His reply was cut off as Kakashi pulled both of them closer together, too close, and stated with a large smile "Now now, is that anyway to talk to your teammates?" while the two genin struggled vainly to free themselves for the jonin's iron grip.

.0.0.0.

Kisame frowned at the smaller shinobi he was following. Said Shinobi was quiet. Too quiet.

Well more quiet than usual. A kind of quiet that made the shark like ninja feel that the Uchiha was lost in thought and that meant his guard was down. That never happened.

"_Itachi!" The sharp call had been surprising. Sasuke was never so formally impolite. It was enough to stop Itachi from leaving as he had intended. Sasuke suddenly jumped up and latched onto Itachi's chest, arms locking around the older shinobi's neck._

_It had been a couple days since the nightmare._

_Sasuke squeezed, hard, his breathing slightly elevated. Itachi stood in shock for a moment before slowly relaxing and closing his arms around the small Uchiha and holding him close._

"_Nii-san. Don't go." Sasuke whispered, his tone sounding choked._

_Itachi was more than confused but he smiled warmly and rubbed Sasuke's back in slow soothing circles. "I'm just going to see Shisui. I'll be back before dinner."_

_Sasuke pulled his head back to stare at the older Uchiha. His bottom lip trembled but he smiled, the sparkling in his eyes threatening to spill over, before stating cheerfully, "tell him I say hi!"_

Kisame said nothing as he walked behind the Uchiha. Their target was the Kyuubi. He'd need Itachi for that, so for now, he'd leave the man to his thoughts. Konoha was not all that far away. They weren't in any sort of rush.

.0.0.0.


	11. Chapter 11

**Un-beta-ed **

**Unwanted Trip**

**Chapter 11**

In the end the genin had kept things simple. They'd followed Kakashi's order in behaving and their antics disappeared so suddenly people were questioning whether they'd been there at all. Kakashi did as proposed and took Sasuke into the outer training grounds. Sakura was actually pleased to learn some genjutsu.

Naruto knew all of Jiraiya's tricks and as such it wasn't very hard to get the sannin to 'teach' him the Rasengan as well as to let the pervert give him the toad contract. Naruto even managed to squeeze in some seal training. He only had a month after all. And showing the sannin just how much he knew would give away more than he was ready to reveal.

As it was he'd had to convince the sannin that using the Kyuubi's chakra was a bad idea. Naruto couldn't even access it. Jiraiya didn't need to be fiddling with the seal. After last time, Naruto wasn't about to let the fox take control when he didn't know which fox he was dealing with. He had no idea if the fox knew who he was.

Sasuke used his time to 'learn' the chidori and then to 'learn' how to expand on it. Kakashi didn't need to know that their time together was rather a waste in Sasuke's opinion. As it was, the jonin half pouted at how quickly Sasuke had picked up the jutsu. He pouted even more when he realised that Sasuke was already at a level to change the Chidori and make it his own.

However, none of the genin had plans on competing in the exams till the end. Not with Orochimaru still in the village. Naruto would fight Neji, and Sasuke would take care for Gaara, that was the plan.

Kabuto hadn't taken the chance and tried to assassinate Hayate before he could wake up and tell the Hokage what he'd heard. Baki, as a result was even more on edge. Amusing to watch, for a little while. The three did their best to remember that Baki was an eventual ally.

But all of that was a side thought to the genin of Team 7 as they walked through the entrance of the Chunin Exam arena.

Sasuke grinned widely. He'd missed out on this the first time. They'd debated making Sasuke late again so that the order of the matches would be switched but the Uchiha was having none of it.

"So Naruto, you ready for this? You might not get to fight Neji." Sasuke whispered, elbowing the Uzumaki. Sakura waved at Ino who surprisingly waved back. Naruto waved at Haku who politely smiled back. Zabuza stared grumpily at them, a special murderous gleam twinkled in his eye when his gaze passed over Sasuke. It might have had something to do with the sword now strapped to Sasuke's back.

"That sword really doesn't suit you, teme. Nor does it suit your opponent." Naruto sighed, giving Sasuke a look that said "_Get rid of it._" Sasuke shrugged and lifted the sword from his back with an ease he would not have possessed the first time he was twelve years oldaround. His grin widened before he swung the blade through the air, letting go when it had enough force to fly to where Zabuza was sitting. The jonin caught the blade without even flinching. The same could not be said for the rest of the spectators in that general area.

Kakashi tsked before whacking Sasuke upside the head. "What did I tell you three about showing off." It wasn't really a question, so much as it was a warning.

"But sensei, we're here in front of the important people. I thought we were supposed to show off." Sakura stated sweetly, her hands held behind her back as she smiled warmly at the jonin. He narrowed his visible eye, wondering if there was another meaning to Sakura's behaviour.

It was at this point that Hayate hobbled into the arena. Kakashi went to meet him, choosing to ignore the warning bells Sakura's behaviour was sending. He was sure it wasn't too serious. Maybe a paint bomb or two.

"Sakura, you know what we need, don't you? And you have it?" Sasuke whispered to the pinkette the moment Kakashi walked away. Naruto was busy making a show of waving to the crowd, stopping to give extra attention to those who glared at him that hardest.

"I have everything. I'm ready when you are." Sakura replied, her tone polite and her features neutrally pleasant. Anyone watching them would think they were discussing the weather.

"Alright. Be ready at any moment. I managed to intercept a message that was meant for the Hokage. Itachi is here but no one knows this besides us." Sasuke chose to keep his gaze on Kakashi, pretending to be waiting for the signal to start the third round. Sakura's features remained neutral. She didn't react to the news, surprising as it was.

"I feel like he's early." Sakura stated, keeping the conversation going.

"Probably because he's still confused as to why I'm so different." Sasuke shrugged, moving towards the other participants. Kakashi was standing near Hayate, his undercover bodyguard. They weren't sure if anyone was going to try and kill the injured shinobi, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

"Alright listen up, as I am in no condition to stop a match should it become necessary, I will not be the proctor for the last round of the Chunin exams. Hatake Kakashi is going to be taking my place. Make no mistake, he's more than capable enough to handle the best, and the worst of you." Hayate stopped to cough, but not before he was able to send a pointed look towards Gaara.

"I am so excited I can hardly contain myself." Lee yelled, the fire burning brightly in his eyes. "Sakura-chan if I win this fight will you go out with me?!" Lee turned his gaze onto Sakura who squeaked and hid behind Sasuke. "I thought we avoided that." She whispered in horror to the Uchiha who glared at Lee, daring him to come any closer.

"As if Bushy-brow. Sakura won't lose to someone as untrained as yourself." Naruto scoffed, putting an arm on Lee's shoulders.

"Untrained?!" Uh oh.

"I am not untrained. You take that back Uzumaki Naruto. You of all people should know to show your opponent the respect that they deserve." Lee yelled, angrier than they had ever seen him before. "I am a man of hard work and discipline. I am my sensei's pupil and I will do him proud. Your statement to me is an offence to my sensei and I will not stand for that!"

"Huh, what was that?" Naruto asked, his expression mirroring Kakashi's and stopping Lee's rant in its tracks.

"That is it! I cannot stand for this any longer. This is for how you treated Inuzuka Kiba during the preliminaries!" Lee roared before hitting Naruto square in the jaw, sending the blond flying right towards the Hokage. Kakashi and Gai were there in an instant, Gai holding onto Lee while the former looked to his students. "What happened."

It wasn't really a question so much as it was a demand. These kids weren't telling him something. Naruto wasn't like that. Kakashi knew what had happened. He'd been completely flabbergasted by the behaviour himself.

Naruto narrowly missed landing on the Hokage himself, managing to divert his fall to hit the Kazekage instead. He got to his feet gingerly, apologising to the Kazekage with deep bows and very many promises of Ichiraku ramen to make up for it.

Sarutobi watched the exchange quietly, taking a good look at the Kazekage for the first time. He must be getting old. . . .

The crowd had grown silent, each audience member holding their breath in anticipation to see what would happen. The Kazekage waved a hand in irritation, aiming to keep Naruto quiet. Naruto cringed visibly before turning back towards the arena. He caught the Hokage's eye, his hands moving rapidly but minimally in an effort to communicate discretely.

"_Marked_."

Sarutobi nodded just as minimally and Naruto jumped over the railing. So Orochimaru wasn't going to get away from this one. Naruto had placed a seal on him that the snake would never be able to get rid of no matter how many times he switched bodies. The odd behaviour now made sense.

Naruto walked over to Kakashi, his back to Orochimaru's spies. They'd done a good job in tracking them all. Since they weren't able to see his hands, the blond rapidly fired a message at Kakashi. He supposed he could have told the man before the day but well, they had to keep the ninja on his toes after all.

Kakashi's gaze moved almost imperceptibly towards the Kazekage before widening ever so slightly.

"Another move like that Rock Lee and you're disqualified, understood." Kakashi stated with a tone that was more familiar to the future-genin than to anyone else in the arena. It was the tone of Kakashi's inner self, the part of him that hide behind the Obito mask.

"I understand." Lee stated in a subdued tone, his eyes lingering on Naruto's hands as though trying to figure out what he had missed. He looked to Gai-sensei who nodded to him. If Gai-sensei agreed than things had to be alright.

Gai nodded to Kakashi before heading to the balcony above the arena.

"We've decided to have the matches start randomly, rather than in number order. If I call your name you remain in the stadium, the rest of you are to join Gai." Kakashi continued more loudly.

"Haruno Sakura and Rock Lee, you're up first." Kakashi grinned and Sakura glared.

"Sensei, am I allowed to go all out." Sakura smiled sweetly at the jonin, the same smile she usually gave when she wanted to blow something up.

"Well as long as you don't kill him." Kakashi mused, the other participants moving towards the balcony where Sasuke and Naruto were already cheering as loudly as they could. Lee frowned at the two, beginning to see that something was completely different from the general conception of Kakashi's team. They were supposed to be a team of a fangirl, a broody genius and a loud mouthed deadlast.

But those hand signs Naruto had used earlier, they were ANBU communication hand signs. He had been a genin long enough to know that.

Up in the balcony area, Nara Shikamaru was coming to a rather delayed realisation. He squinted down at Sakura who wasn't looking nervous one bit. His gaze crawled over to Ino who was supposed to be equal in strength to the pinkette. It was hard to actually say if they were or if they weren't. Sakura had made sure the match ended too quickly to really tell.

He focused on Naruto, who was leaning on the railing, hooting down at Sakura. But there was an air to his posture that was familiar. Details about Naruto's outfit and equipment began to stand out now that he was really looking, things that no genin would really carry or even place in the positions that Naruto had. Connecting those facts with his match with Inuzuka Kiba, the hand signs he'd shown Kakashi and wham, the realisation hit.

Naruto was the Asahi ANBU that had come to visit his father.

"There's just no way!" Shikamaru yelled before he evenr realised the words wanted to be spoken. "You! The dead last?"

Naruto stopped yelling support for Sakura and looked towards Shikamaru with a mischeviousmischievous gleam in his eyes. He wasn't even denying it! "Was I really?" Naruto grinned and returned his attention to Sakura who sent him a glare.

"What is that all about?" Temari stated, close enough to Shikamaru for the ninja to hear her.

Naruto's question brought Shikamaru mind into full gear. Memories of the Academy swam into the focus of his thoughts. Things that all three of them did began to stand out. This odd behaviour. It wasn't a result of Kakakshi. It was them. They were the ones who were doing it to Kakashi.

Had they been recruited for the Asahi ANBU from a really young age?

Shikamaru was too absorbed in his own thoughts to notice that the match had begun.

Sakura didn't wait around. She jumped at Lee, aiming a kick for his stomach. It was an easy blow to block. Lee didn't fall for the ruse and focused on her right hand aiming for his head. He caught her hand with his left, trying to repay the favour with a punch of his own.

Naruto yawned in between one of his cheers, turning to look at Shikamaru with a soft grin. "You ready for your match? I bet Temari-chan is going to be fun."

Did Naruto know something? Shikamaru hadn't forgotten how the Asahi ANBU had behaved during the exams. Almost like they had known beforehand how things were going to go. Where the chunin exams rigged? Not to mention the obvious heavy use of clones. So the whole exam they'd been up against some second rate clones? How embarrassing.

Did he say something? Was he perhaps over-reacting? No, he didn't think he was over-reacting.

There was a sudden explosion from the Hokage's balcony. Naruto's attention whipped in that direction. "Aren't we a little early for this?" he grit out, eyes narrowing. What did they know?

Sakura stopped focusing on her match just as Lee was about to execute a leaf hurricane. Sasuke shunshined into the arena and caught the green clad genin's foot before he could land hand the kick. He pushed Lee away, focusing his attention on the Hokage.

Kakashi took Lee and shunshined him into the participant's balcony where Gai was waiting. He looked confused but he didn't ask questions. "Keep the genin safe." Kakashi ordered before disappearing and reappearing closer to the Hokage's balcony.

Smoke surrounded the box, making it difficult to assess the situation. Naruto didn't move from the participant's box, just in case Gaara did something weird.

A black figure moved out of the smoke, appearing to be running from something.

The chase was confirmed in the form of two smaller black figures emerging from the smoke nano-seconds later. Sasuke grit his teeth when he realised the first figure was none other than Itachi. The older Uchiha's gaze was fixed on the younger, attempting to get to the arena but finding it surprisingly challenging given the two smaller ANBU tailing him.

The crowd murmured in excitement, the chase far more entertaining then what the exam had been thus far.

The next surprise came in the form of one of the ANBU slipping up, allowing Itachi to get into the ring where he went straight for Sasuke. The younger Uchiha changed his stance to one of attack, moving to stand in front of Sakura. He didn't know what his brother's intentions were, but this was not something they had planned for so it was best to prepare for anything.

Fukushu appeared in front of Itachi so fast the older Uchiha almost crashed into him. Odd. He'd been ahead of the smaller ANBU the whole chase? Itachi stopped and measured the smaller ninja, taking in his stature, his mark – HIS SHARINGAN?!

Something unnatural was going on and he was now surrounded byut not only the small ANBU but Kakashi as well. Perhaps this hadn't been his best idea. He'd only wanted to talk to his brother. The Hokage should have granted him that much but the man appeared busy with an impending invasion. Itachi couldn't blame the Hokage for ignoring his meeting requests. The chase hadn't been planned. He hadn't realised Konoha had ninja capable of spotting him. At least not ones currently stationed in ANBU. Kakashi might have, but he was supposed to be well and truly occupied with the exams.

Sasayaku stood across from Fukushu and Itachi, features grim as he took in the other ANBU's gaze. It was different now, there was something else in his eyes. Something a lot like _before_ they came back.

Sasayaku lifted a gloved hand and gently pulled the orange adorned obsidian ANBU mask from his face, blond locks falling free of their restraint and ticking whiskered cheeks as they swayed with the slight breeze.

"You're leaving again, aren't you?" Naruto stated quietly, while those around them gaped in shock at the now unmasked blond ANBU, and his words.

"You know me better than anyone, Sasayaku . . . Naruto." Fukushu replied, that same dead drawl from _before_. A gloved hand reached up slowly and grasped the coal black ANBU mask and even more slowly pulled it away. "It's always been about Itachi."

"Just this once, I guess I'd hoped you'd choose me." Naruto smiled softly, sadly.

"I already did, Dobe. When I decided not to destroy the place which has caused me more pain than anywhere else I've ever been." _When I decided not to destroy Konoha_. . .

"So it's chasing after you again, huh?" Naruto muttered, looking away as his gaze deadened.

"You don't have to. I never asked you to."

Naruto sighed heavily. "It's not about being asked to, teme."_ You're my precious person_. . .

"What are you doing, Sasuke?" Itachi asked tonelessly, eyes continuously taking in and analysing the situation as it unfolded in front of him. Looking now, he could see that the Sasuke he'd been aiming for was nothing but a clone. The clone smirked before disappearing in a small puff of smoke. A very good clone at that.

"Aniki. I'm joining the Akatsuki, well more specifically, I'm following you. I'm done with this pathetic village. I'm done with playing the good loyal lap dog. I'd sooner burn the entire place to the ground." Sasuke stated, his tone almost perfectly matching Itachi's.

Naruto's frame jerked slightly but otherwise, the blond didn't move, didn't utter a word. "Back to this again, huh Sasuke?" he asked eyes moving towards the ground. "Only this time, you're going where I can't follow."

Two shadows detached themselves from the surrounding stadium and landed in the arena before Sasuke could reply. Okami looked at his now unmasked subordinates and sighed before removing his own dark disguise. Suiren looked between Naruto and Sasuke silently, as though measuring them up, seeing just how serious each one was before walking over to the latter of the two.

Naruto had expected the kunoichi to punch some sense into Sasuke, to embrace him with a plead for him to stay.

What he didn't expect was for the last masked Asahi ANBU to pull of her mask and place a gloved hand on Sasuke's cheek before kissing him gently.

"I didn't think it would be so soon." Sakura whispered as she lowered her hand to Sasuke's own, threading their fingers together.

"Sakura . . ." Naruto began, eyes wide even as he was unable to continue his sentence.

"Oh Naruto, just as it's always been about Konoha for you and Itachi for Sasuke, it's always been about Sasuke for me. You should have known that already." Sakura stated pityingly, like Naruto was the slowest child in a classroom and she was the smartest. This was the part that they knew they had to add. This was what they needed to push Naruto over the edge. Sasuke leaving was something Naruto would always half expect, but Sakura? His heart would never even be prepared for the possibility.

Kakashi found himself watching a scene he didn't understand, unable to do anything as his students walked away from him. It was something a lot like what Iruka described to him.

Naruto took a step back, as though he'd been physically hit. As they watched, pain and denial clouded his blue eyes and Sasuke almost broke right there. As Naruto began to shake his head, physically trying to reject what was right in front of him, Sasuke's hold on Sakura's hand became painful as he squeezed her fingers to keep her in place.

"I don't understand." Naruto whispered. "Everything was coming together. We had agreed that what happened before didn't matter." Sasuke watched as Naruto's breathing sped, his heart rate picking up. A panic attack?

"Of course it matters Naruto. After all, it happened again." Sasuke scoffed. "Nothing has really changeds. This whole exam is exactly the same."

"BUT YOU LET IT HAPPEN!" Naruto roared suddenly, the rage taking over from the denial and shock.

In that moment, as the rage took control, they felt it just as they had the first time it happened. Naruto's power was never as absolute as what it had been in the moment the seal had first cracked. No matter how much he mastered the Kyuubi's chakra, it was never as intense, never as destructive as what it had been in the moment that it had been when it rushed out for the first time. A release of pent up pressure and an explosion of raw intense power swirled around the stadium, cutting into the earth and walls around them. Chakra so potent it was visible to the naked eye, even those of the civilians. "DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!" Naruto raged. "YOU LET IT HAPPEN!"

Itachi, Sasuke, Sakura and Kakashi all sprang out of the way while Naruto raged in the epicentre.

Sasuke watched with blank features as the blond ANBU's features grew more feral, wild and uncontrolled. The same image of Naruto that haunted Sasuke's thoughts if he let them wander. That battle, it still scared him to this day. Unknown to him, his Sharingan was active and taking in the sight of what he'd started, of the pain he'd caused within Naruto. Unknown to Sasuke in that moment, his eyes changed back to black before the red bleed into the obsidian once more as his Mangekyou awaken.

"YOU HEAR ME SASUKE!" Naruto roared, his voice one of pure irrational rage, "YOU DON'T GET TO BLAME KONOHA THIS TIME! YOU LET IT HAPPEN!" The Kyuubi's chakra raged on, burning higher into the sky.

"What the hell is going on?!" Kakashi demanded as he approached his students.

"The Kyuubi's seal cracked under Naruto's anger." Sasuke drawled.

"This is the extent of Naruto's rage. Explosive isn't it?" Sakura kept her eyes pinned to the growing chakra mass in the arena.

Yet, just as suddenly as it started, the swirling red began to slow, move inwards until it was swaying around the blond Shinobi who was now on his knees, tears falling from red slitted eyes. Sakura and Sasuke knew Naruto and his relationship with the tailed beast within him well enough to know that this was Kurama, comforting Naruto in his greatest time of need.

This was the tailed beast of their past. One of their fears had been that Naruto would have to start all over with the beast within him. He'd have to try and calm the raging hatred of the Kyuubi once more.

But it would seem, that as chakra sank back into Naruto's body, the blonde's eyes briefly changing to golden, that all was alright with them. They were the same Naruto and Kurama from before the Yondaime's jutsu. The chakra flared outwards in a brilliant flash, surrounding the blond like a new found sun.

Kakashi left them the moment he knew it was safe enough to approach Naruto, crouching down next to him to see if he was alright. He wasn't sure if he could touch Naruto while he was in this form. "Naruto?"

Naruto didn't respond, lost within his own mindscape, falling to the Kyuubi for comfort.

It was the sound of three objects hitting the ground near him that caused Naruto to pull away from his mindscape.

Three Konoha headbands winked at him, one pink, one blue, and one black. Sakura, Sasuke and Itachi's.

"Since you're the one most loyal to Konoha, you should keep those. For sentimental value. After all, you always were my best friend." Sasuke stated, before lifting a hand and gathering his chakra. "Till next time, Dobe." Naruto growled, leaping towards Sasuke with an extended fist.

Before Naruto could touch the Uchiha a wall of chakra swirled into existence, a skeletal form quickly forming from the chakra. The bony hand held firmly to Naruto's first, stopping the golden ninja from reaching his intended target.

Then a whirl of black flames and all four of the now Akatsuki members were gone. Naruto sagged forwards, the golden aura whisping away.

"Naruto, what the hell is going on?" Kakashi asked, desperation colouring his tone.

"Sasuke, he never was able to move past the death of his clan." Naruto muttered, one shaking hand moving towards the headbands tossed so carelessly on the groundtowards him. Kakashi's heart was racing but it nearly stopped when he saw how dead Naruto's eyes had become. Naruto knew there was no point in going after Sasuke now. They were long gone. Sasuke was good at those shunshins.

"But I don't understand." Kakashi admitted.

"Neither do I." Naruto sighed, tucking the headbands into his pouch. Naruto grimaced, looking towards the Hokage and the Kazekage, both frowning down at them. Naruto focused his chakra and chains sprang to life around the Kazekage, a random ANBU in the audience, and the sand siblings. "Guess I don't need to hide anymore."

Those caught in Naruto's chains began to sink into the ground, and no amount of struggling on their part seemed to make any difference. Two of the five apprehended individuals appeared in the middle of the arena. Naruto turned to the Hokage and bowed. "Enemy apprehended. May I be excused?"

The Sandaime nodded once and Naruto bowed again before grabbing Kakashi's hand and shuninshinning away from the drama that the events would bring. That was for the Sandaime. Naruto reappeared in his apartment where he collapsed on the floor in a boneless heap. "I can't do this again, Kakashi-sensei." The blond wailed, reminded the jonin of the child he was supposed to be rather than the ruthless Shinobi he was.

"_I don't understand._" This was what Kakashi wanted to scream until his lungs burst. Yet, he remained quiet as he bent down and scooped the genin off the floor. Naruto's apartment was a little big for a child but it was all he had. The place was neat and tidy, more so than what you'd expect given how impatient and hyper the genin was. Kakashi walked towards Naruto's room where he gently placed the sobbing genin on the bed.

Naruto clung to him, like that night in ANBU headquarters so many years ago. He cried so hard his entire frame shook, but still he clung to the jonin. Kakashi held Naruto close, rubbing small, slow circles on the genin's back. Naruto needed him, and the least he could do was allow the genin to express his pain. It didn't matter how powerful he was, Naruto was still just a child. A child who's teammates had abandoned him.

So Kakashi would wait, until Naruto was able to tell him what was going on.

.0.0.0.

"Senpai, you need to wake up." The voice was familiar and unfortunately so was the tone. "It's the Sandaime, he wants to see both you and Naruto-kun."

Kakashi blinked awake, staring at Tenzou's worried features.

"How long has it been? I didn't realise I'd fallen asleep." Kakashi voice was rough indicating far more time had been spent being unconscious than he would have liked.

"No time for that. We have to gdo to the Sandaime." Tenzou didn't wait. He placed a hand on Kakashi's shoulder and then shunshined them unto the Hokage's tower. Naruto, who'd been sleeping on his chest, woke up with a start. He glared at the occupants of the room before suddenly deflating as though remembering the earlier events.

"Naruto-kun, they tell me I don't have much time, so I need you to come here. You too Kakashi-kun." Naruto's gaze was drawn to the feebly spoken request and his heart squeezed. "Jiji. . ."

"Kakashi, you will be my successor. I've been meaning to tell you. I guess time is something we all take for granted." Sarutobi smiled weakly. The desk had been removed, leaving a hospital bed in its place. The Sandaime was lying in the bed, several medics close by but all looking grim.

"What are you talking about?" Naruto demanded. "We got Orochimaru before he could do anything?"

"Heart attack." The response was from Asuma, who looked pale and distant. He was standing close to the door, as if ready to run. "Several in one go. They're surprised he's even managed to hang on this long."

"Naruto-kun, don't let all your careful planning go to waste. I leave the care of Konoha to you. I rest easy knowing that my village and my people are in good hands." Sarutobi continued, not pausing to allow for any of the information to sink in. "I know your heart is heavy now, but I implore you to remember why Itachi-kun left. I'm sure you and your teammates were able to deduce the truth."

_What? What did that mean?_

Naruto was too shocked to move as he watched the man he had come to love as a grandfather slowly slip into death, not even able to carry on giving his messages.

No! They'd prevented this. They'd made sure that Orochimaru wouldn't win!

Kakashi was still too shocked with the proclamation of his promotion. Hokage? What was the old man thinking?!

Shikaku placed a hand on Kakashi's shoulder, giving him a sympathetic half smile. "Got lots to do Hokage-sama. We've just begun to deal with the failed invasion fall out. No time to fall apart now, and definitely no time to meet with the Fire Daimyo. That will have to wait for later."

Kakashi wanted to run, but for some reason his legs kept him rooted to the spot.

"Lead them well, Kakash . . . ."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's last words before his eyes slipped closed and his chest stilled.

.0.0.0.

The funeral was just as grand as before, despite there being only one death this time. It was just as heart breaking too.

Naruto kept close to Kakashi's side throughout the enter proceeding. Ever since the reveal at the Chunin exams, people had been avoiding him, more out of respect than fear. Didn't matter though. It wasn't what he wanted. He wanted things to be like they were _before_, before.

Both he and Kakashi had been far too busy to discuss Sasuke and Sakura. As a newly promoted Hokage and Jonin, both Naruto and Kakashi didn't have much time for anything other than doing damage control.

Naruto hadn't even had the time to reflect on the Sandaime's last words to him.

Right now, he didn't even want to.

"When the ceremony is over, Naruto-kun, we're having that discussion we've been putting off." Kakashi stated quietly. Naruto didn't reply at first, his mind numb as he stood in the rain, leaving it to run down his face in small rivulets. "Hai, sensei."

.0.0.0.

"So, you're Itachi's little brother." Pein was starting at his new members with a certain measure of curiosity. If Itachi had been interesting, his little brother was absolutely fascinating.

Itachi stood close to Sasuke, protective, even when it was clear Sasuke didn't need protecting. Sakura stood near Sasuke, just as confident as the Uchiha.

"I thought my Sharingan did all the talking that was needed when it comes to relations." Sasuke narrowed his gaze in irritation. Pein did not react but Konan narrowed her gaze. "Cut the crap. We're not here for you. We're here for Itachi. End of story."

"So what do you intend to do with Itachi?" Kisame grinned, hand moving to the handle of his sword suggestively.

"I don't think he can do anything with Itachi." Hidan sneered. "He's just a brat."

Sasuke's features were one of murderous annoyance. Before he could reply, Itachi spoke, his tone soft. "Perhaps my brother can be of use to the cause. He knew the Kyuubi Jinchuriki quite well."

Sakura didn't look towards Sasuke to see what he would do. This was what Itachi had endured for so long. They had to endure it too. "No. I told you. I'm here for Itachi. I don't care what your little organisation does."

"Then what is the point of you being here at all?" Pein countered.

"Because you can't make me leave." Sasuke smirked. "Besides I might feel inclined to help out, every so often."

Itachi remained silent, taking in the events happening around him. This boy, this overly confident child, this was his younger brother. What had happened? Was leaving him alive a mistake after all?

"No matter. I have no interest in a child anyway, especially one playing at being a ninja." Pein waved a hand dismissively, a hint of impatience in his tone. "We should focus on the task at hand. Itachi, Kisame, you're getting reassigned for now."

Itachi barely listened to the man, taking in Sasuke posture, the way his eyes flickered to all parts of the room and over each occupant. This was not a child playing at being a ninja. This was so much more. Sasuke was so much more.

Itachi would find out, he had to, because Pein wouldn't ignore Sasuke for long.

.0.0.0.


End file.
